


the sky coating your lips

by Sugar_and_Salt



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Fantasy, I swear that makes sense, M/M, University AU, alternative universe, but don't worry if you never heard of it, but if you did... there won't be any spoilers, it happens unconsciously though, mild Self-harm, sorta - Freeform, trails of cold steel!au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:49:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 82,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22962679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sugar_and_Salt/pseuds/Sugar_and_Salt
Summary: Chanyeol is a tech-savy, hard-working commoner with an utter hate for nobles. That didn’t stop him from enrolling into the Red Sun Academy, which was full of those snooty, privileged jerks.Living in the same dorm as one of them was taking it a bit far though.
Relationships: Kim Jongdae | Chen/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 225
Kudos: 195





	1. Cracked Silver

**Author's Note:**

> Uhmmm... hi!  
> I'm still alive. I guess.  
> I've been struggling to write recently, so this is me trying to overcome writer's block by writing something relaxing and simple and short. Sorry if this is rusty and awkward, I'll get back into it.  
> Also I'll add to this whenever I'm free, but I actually got plenty of ideas, which is kinda exciting~
> 
> As per usual with my obscure au's, there's no need to know the source material.  
> (The first chapter might look otherwise, but I swear it's gonna be a simple, chill read)
> 
> If you DO know the source material though... I only played the first 2 games, please don't spoil me *haha*
> 
> Much love,  
> Sugary

"Woah, this dorm is so cool! We totally lucked out!"

Chanyeol hummed in agreement, fighting to keep his grin at bay.

When he'd heard that he and a few others would inhibit a third dorm, with the first two being too crowded this year... he had honestly been a little worried that they'd be pushed into a cleaned out storage room or something. But this building was beautiful in every way - sure, it was clearly old, and there were more than a few cracks in the stone walls and floor, but the architecture was confident and charming. It honestly reminded him of home in a way.

It also seemed pretty spacious, with a total of 6 rooms on each of the three floors. As of now, they were only three students, so there really was plenty of room for them. Jongin - an excitable boy from the North - was already claiming whichever room had the balcony pointing towards the busy street outside. Chanyeol bit back on an eager response, forcing himself to stay patient and follow their teacher as they were shown around the kitchen and public areas first. Everything had a cozy feeling to it, and it made him feel all the more excited to start this new stage in his life.

They were told that there would be no maid in charge of this dorm and how it was to be expected of them to keep their dorm clean and to prepare their own meals. Chanyeol could only goodnaturedly roll his eyes at that. Like they were some snooty nobles who'd need tending to.  
Honestly, Chanyeol was glad that they were so far away from the other two dorms. And by the other two dorms, he was referring to the noble's dorm, really. He'd see enough of these morons prancing around the campus without having them as neighbours. In fact, Chanyeol could wholeheartedly say that if this academy didn't have such a stellar reputation, he would have chosen another school. One that was no breeding ground for privileged airheads-

"Alright kids," the tired-looking teacher said, waving them off dismissively. "I'll leave you to get settled or get to know each other or whatever. Don't cause any trouble and don't forget to get your schedule tomorrow."

There was most definitely judgement hanging in the air, but Mr. Do remained unaffected. As he opened the door, he was met with another small group of students. He told them to get their tour from someone else and left. Just like that. One of the three newcomers threw them a confused look.

Chanyeol shrugged.

"No idea what's up with him. Are you guys gonna stay in this dorm, too?"

"So it seems," the friendly-looking guy smiled, entering the room with the other two in tow. One of them was around his height, scrawny-looking but bright-eyed, exuding an aura of liveliness. The other looked mildly bored at best, eyes wandering around the room but not meeting Chanyeol's curious gaze. The first of the group, however, directly approached Chanyeol, offering him a hand to shake.

"I'm Zhang Yixing, nice to meet you."

His grip was solid, more confident than his appearance let on. He swiftly moved on to Jongin after that and, then greeted the tall, scary-looking boy who hadn't talked at all during their tour. He introduced himself as Yifan - an information Chanyeol mentally stored away as he locked gazes with the friendly-looking blonde guy.

"Luhan," was all the other said, but there was no impoliteness to it. Chanyeol had a feeling that they'd get along well. Chanyeol was pretty good with people in general, actually. The only ones he was currently worried about were the Yifan guy... and that other boy who had yet to introduce himself, opting to instead take in his surroundings with an unreadable expression.

Well, Chanyeol thought, maybe he was shy. It would explain the carefully straight posture and the expensive-looking coat - surely, he'd tried to look his best for this day.

And because Chanyeol was nothing if not welcoming, he took two wide strides and offered the other his hand.

"Hi. I'm Chanyeol."

From this close, the other looked... good. Smooth skin, dark eyes, perfectly brushed, soft-looking hair that mostly covered uniquely angled brows. He didn’t look as gentle or even dainty as Luhan or Yixing, but something about his distinct appearance was really appealing. Chanyeol couldn't put his finger on it.

He saw dark eyes flitting to his hand, an unpleasant shadow flickering over the other's expression, and then they met his for the first time.

"Jongdae."

His voice was pleasant, too, with an underlying, melodic lilt. It would definitely be more pleasant if there weren't a huge mass of reluctance and disinterest pressed into those two syllables though.

Jongdae walked past him, leaving Chanyeol to stand there like an idiot, with his hand still raised. He slowly lowered it, nodded to himself and exchanged a small shrug with Luhan that made him feel much better about this little fiasco.

"So it's only six of us?" Jongin asked brightly, completely ignoring Jongdae's aloof behaviour. "That means one floor will be enough, right? Unless all of you want balconies..."

"Eh, I don't particularly care about that," Chanyeol began, rubbing his neck in an attempt to massage the sore spots he'd gained by sleeping on the train earlier. "Let's all go upstairs and just pick a room-"

The stairs creaked ever so slightly as Jongdae reached the top, not sparing any of them a glance. Jongin hurried after him immediately to secure the room of his dreams, while the remaining four exchanged questioning looks.

"Well, someone's eager to make friends," Luhan muttered lowly, looking entirely unimpressed. Yixing wore a thoughtful expression, and Yifan was probably not going to defend the oher, either, so Chanyeol took it upon himself.

"Maybe he's nervous?"

Luhan looked about as convinced as Chanyeol felt, but there was really nothing to do about it. For the time being, he simply wanted to choose his room, unpack a little and enjoy the euphoria of actually getting to attend the Red Sun Academy. So what if one of his five roommates was a little grumpy? Surely he'd meet plenty of other fun students soon enough.

With his bag slung over his shoulder, Chanyeol made his way to the stairs - only to feel something crack beneath his feet. Bewildered, he picked up a small, shiny emblem of their school. The white, polished metal was blinking in the light, and for the first time that day, Chanyeol's mood truly soured.

"What's this doing here?" he whined, turning the brooch around to frown at the cracked front. These brooches were specifically made for the uniforms of nobles, driving home the fact that some people were apparently better than others.

"Does this belong to any of you?"

It was highly unlikely - a silly question, really - and of course the other three shook their head.

Chanyeol huffed.

"Isn't this our dorm? What kinda business does some prissy noble have here? Though I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Waltzing around like everything belongs to them is what they do best, after all..." Chanyeol grumbled.

Luhan only shrugged, and he didn't seem all that enthusiastic about his next words.

"Well, what if it belongs to one of the students in this dorm? Someone we haven't met yet?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Chanyeol waved him off. "As if any of these people would stoop down low enough to share space with commoners."

He really should control the anger flaring up, but just thinking of them was so... _annoying_.

"They'd probably rather have a fourth dorm build for them than set foot into a building with no maids and butlers. I'm actually really glad we don't have to deal with their attitudes- _what_?"

Luhan had been making strange faces, and now he was nodding towards the stairs. Slowly following his gaze, Chanyeol was met with the piercing, unimpressed stare of Jongdae, who stood at the top of the stairs... and was now holding out his hand.

Chanyeol looked at the cracked brooch in his hand, and then up at Jongdae.  
And then it clicked.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Seeing Chanyeol rooted to the spot, Jongdae took the stairs, only to stop on the second step - putting them on eye level - and he once again held out his hand. Too dumbfounded to react, Chanyeol handled over the brooch. Jongdae gave it a slow, thorough once-over and for three, agonizing seconds, it was completely silent.

"You broke it," he finally hummed, sounding even more blasé than before. Then he slightly pursed his lips and met his gaze head on, voice turning almost saccharine. "Though I guess it's nothing to worry about, since _a prissy noble like me_ can always have a new one made."

Now under normal circumstances, Chanyeol would feel sorry for breaking another persons belongings. He really would. He'd also be mortified over being caught talking behind someone’s back.

These were no ordinary circumstances, though, and Chanyeol couldn't keep the sneer off his face.

"Don't act like you care about that stupid brooch," he countered, crossing his arms. "You didn't even bother breathing in our direction before, but now we're worth your attention? What a _noble_ thing to do, to try and put yourself into a position of power at the first opportunity - you think I'll trip over myself in an attempt to earn your forgiveness?"

He snorted.

"Tough luck, cause I don't care about what you guys think of me."

Jongdae had the gall to stay perfectly calm. He didn’t seem remotely as angry as Chanyeol and for some reason, that was ticking him off even more. No, instead of letting himself be riled up, the other only raised his brows at him, voice calm, but icy.

"Last time I checked I was only a single person. But worry not - your lack of manners can at most tarnish your own reputation, not mine."

With this, he turned around to go upstairs before Chanyeol could even think of a clever comeback.

When he reached the top, Jongdae paused, only to show him a last condescending look, paired with a small smirk.

"By the way, should I ever manage to find a position that's even further above yours than my current one, I'll let you know. Though I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you."

"What's your _problem?!_ " Chanyeol burst out, but the other was already gone.

Just like that, his wonderful mood and excitement had dimmed a little.

Yixing was saying something about calming down but Chanyeol didn't hear any of it. He kept hearing Jongdae's finely chosen words echo around his head instead and it made him ruffle his hair in frustration. This was the worst.

  
God, he _hated_ nobles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I swear there will be more worldbuilding next chapter, uhm... treat this as the little introduction it is. Or something.  
> And please stay healthy.


	2. Polite Hunger

Every country needed a ruler. Humans were chaotic, selfish, and not particularly intelligent, after all.

That's what they had the royal family for.

Still, from small farms to huge corporations and cities, leaders were needed everywhere, and close to their areas, too. Their subordinates, on the other hand, had to submit and trust them to act with everyone's well-being in mind. That's why it would only be fair for them to choose their leader.

That's how Chanyeol saw it, and that made him a reformist.  
Because while this might apply to the heads of corporations and even some minor towns, nobody could _choose_ to serve a noble. It was simply something commoners did. Nobles were their landlords, for no other reason than being born into the right family. Sure, they were educated within these elite circles in order to properly reign over their land... but there was never a guarantee that they'd be good rulers, or have the public's well-being at heart at all.

Nobles were above citizens, living in lavish mansions and holding dinner parties to solidify their status and show off their riches.  
Nobles were playing a game of status and influence, acting out a play where regular people wouldn't even classify as dust on the stage.  
Nobles talked differently, dressed differently, and their nails were always perfectly manicured.

Among these noble families, however, five houses stood above the rest. Five families had all but split the country between them, swearing loyalty to none other than the throne.

The Kim family didn't have the largest chunk of land - though they weren't far behind - but most influential cities fell into their territory, making them the most influential family after the royal family. Chanyeol's home town, Roer, may belong to another's territory, but everyone had heard about the rather harsh reign the Kims had over the heart of the country. The duke wasn't known to be cruel, per sé, but that didn't mean he was kind, either. He definitely prioritized his own position and liked to remind people of their place, not unlike a police officer training his dog.

Disgusting. Everything about nobles was disgusting.

Chanyeol sullenly stared at the ceiling, refusing to get out of bed despite the soft clattering and sounds of people talking downstairs.

Of all the nobles in the country, why did he have to live right next to the son of the Kims? That guy was basically a celebrity, so what business did he have, rooming with some random commoners like them? Was this a game to him?

 _No_ , Chanyeol thought, throwing his blanket off to sit up in one, rapid movement.

This prick would not ruin his experience attending this academy. He'd studied like crazy and he'd jumped in joy when he received the acceptance letter. He could still see the proud expression on his parents’ faces when he’d told them. They had fully expected for him to stay in their home town and enroll at Roer’s technical university - which had been very tempting - but Chanyeol had instead chosen to secretly apply for the famed, and much more balanced Red Sun Academy. It was rather military-focused, but also offered a solid education in the field of politics and technology. Graduating from RS Academy was said to open doors, and Chanyeol wanted to see what the world had to offer before choosing a direction to pour his passion into.

And while his room _was_ really nice, there was only so much to see in it, so he finally peeled himself out of his pajamas, putting on his uniform for the first time. It looked really neat with the white dress shirt, slim tie and the double-breasted suit. Chanyeol had to admit that he wasn't a huge fan of the color - a deep, olive green that clashed with his red hair - but all in all, he felt like a proper student already.

"Okay," he hummed, looking at himself in the mirror as he buttoned up the jacket. "You can do this. This will be great."

Seeing as there were no lessons just yet, he could skip the bag and leave his room just like that. Directly across his room was Jongdae's, and Chanyeol wasn't above halfheartedly glaring at the closed door before padding downstairs.

The kitchen was very spacious, with a long table taking up most of the room. With only such few people, they had apparently come to the mutual understanding of dining at the end closest to the kitchen itself. Yifan was currently sitting there, somehow looking even more intimidating in the green uniform, while Jongin looked half-asleep still, silently munching on a bread roll. He only looked up when Chanyeol slid into the chair next to him.

"Morning," Chanyeol smiled, feeling more awake already after seeing those two familiar and (partially) friendly faces.

"Good morning," another calm voice chimed in as a plate was being placed before Chanyeol with a soft clutter.

He looked up, the response stuck in his throat when he saw Yixing. The other wasn't wearing his jacket yet, but his expensive-looking dress shirt and blindingly white pair of pants as well as the elegant, lavender-colored cravat gave him away.

This was definitely not the uniform of a commoner.

Chanyeol felt the heat rise to his face immediately.

"You're- a _noble?_ " he burst out, torn between utter disbelief and embarrassment over all the things he'd said out loud the day before. "No way..."

Yixing only smiled.

"My father is but a humble baron. We were never the type to live extravagantly."

"You _did_ seem very well-mannered to me," Jongin only commented casually, ripping another chunk out of his bread to dip it into a red paste.

"Why thank you. I'm trying," Yixing replied lightly, an almost playful smile dancing on his lips.

Chanyeol was still waiting for the ground to swallow him whole. Since that wasn't an option though, and because he may be a coward, but he could still tell right from wrong, he got to his feet.

"Yixing," he began, a little too loud, probably. "I'm _so_ sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Don't worry about it," Yixing cut him off, offering him a plate with scrambled eggs. "Would you like some egg along with your bread?"

Chanyeol stared at the plate. It looked and smelled divine, and wow, he really was hungry.

He shook his head.

"Look, I really-"

"Great," Yixing chirped, placing the plate down. "Quick, it's still hot."

And like this, Chanyeol sank back into his chair, quietly munching on his homemade eggs like a scolded child. He swore to himself to catch Yixing another time, to properly apologize.

While he might have a passionate scorn for nobles, Yixing had been kind to him, and now he'd even taken the time to prepare breakfast for them. Chanyeol had been dead set in his belief that nobles were useless in the kitchen, and yet the eggs he was currently trying hard not to scarf down were nothing short of delicious.

"I hope it's not too bland," Yixing began conversationally, finally taking a seat with his own food. "I had to make due with what I bought yesterday."

Chanyeol vigorously shook his head.

"What are you saying, these are great!"

Whatever reply Yixing had on his tongue slipped away as soon as Jongdae entered the room, dressed to the nines, with his uniform neatly buttoned up and almost blindingly white in their rustique kitchen.

"Oh, good morning Jongdae," Yixing smiled, and Jongin shot him a curt, casual "Morning," of his own. Heck, even Yifan gave him a nod. Chanyeol resolutely stared at his plate, stabbing his next piece of egg a little too aggressively.

"Good morning," Jongdae replied, and the three syllables were enough to annoy Chanyeol. There was really no reason to sound so arrogant and distant when greeting your fellow housemates, and at such an early time at that.

Meanwhile Yixing had jumped to his feet yet again, already bustling behind the kitchen counter.

"I made scrambled eggs and cut some vegetables," he hummed. "Nothing fancy, but I guess it will do. Would you like some?"

Jongdae actually paused, looking at Yixing and the food in his hands. There was something strangely akin to hesitation in his face - not that Chanyeol was looking - but ultimately, he shook his head.

"I appreciate the offer but no, thank you."

"With how little we ate last night, we should really replenish our energy today," Yixing insisted gently, falling into the curious, noble habit of talking in plural.

Jongdae's shoulders drew up a little at this, and he took a step back.

"I said _no, thank you_."

"And why is that?" Chanyeol piped up, temper flaring up at the other's tone. "You think his food isn't good enough for you?"

Jongdae's eyes narrowed.

"I do not think I heard anyone ask for your input?"

Chanyeol saw Yifan silently get up to leave, but he was too far in already to even consider backing down.

"Yixing was kind enough to prepare us food and you deny his offer? For what? Not like a spoiled noble son like you would do a better job - can you even make a sandwich?"

By the way Jongdae's eyebrows rose just a little and his lips parted in disbelief, Chanyeol knew he'd struck a nerve - and man, didn't _that_ feel good.

It didn't last long, however.

"I guess _you_ wouldn't need any expertise in the kitchen despite lacking in maids," Jongdae huffed, every word icy and sharp. "Considering your presence alone is enough to ruin anyone's appetite."

It was Chanyeol's time to gape, and by the time he barked "Speak for yourself-" Jongdae had already left the kitchen.

Fuming, Chanyeol leaned back in his chair.

"What a jerk."

To further fuel his rightful anger, Yixing seemed completely unoffended.

"Don't be so harsh on him."

"Don't defend him now," Chanyeol whined, but Yixing was _still_ wearing this small smile of his.

"He probably rejected the offer because he felt like he had to."

"Because you're of the same social class as him?" Jongin asked, somehow managing to look thoughtful while peeling an orange.

"Yes and no," Yixing patiently explained, stirring his coffee. "I'm barely worth mentioning compared to him. Now what would it look like if someone of Jongdae's rank would accept a favour by someone like me, who he barely even knows?"

"Wouldn't it mean that you accept your lower social rank and serve him?"

At Chanyeol's scandalized look, Jongin grimaced.

"I didn’t mean it like that, just... in theory. I'm trying to understand the problem here."

"And you're right," Yixing confirmed, somehow happy about the other's thought process. "But who is to say that it's not indebting him instead? It's quite the responsibility that can originate from such acts of kindness. Nobles need to be very careful when it comes to owing people favours. You never know what shape they will take on, or who you want to even associate with."

" _It was just breakfast_ ," Chanyeol broke out. "Amazing breakfast, yes, but breakfast nonetheless! Why make such a big deal out of it?"

"As a son of the Kims, I'm sure he prefers to be on the safe side," Yixing hummed. "After all, he barely knows me. Don't worry too much about it, however. We'll have to come up with a proper cooking and cleaning schedule, anyway, and then there will be no more reason for awkwardness."

After that, the other two engaged in a conversation about fried eggs, graciously ignoring Chanyeol's grumbles about how ridiculous all of this was.

 _That's why nobles are stupid_ , Chanyeol thought, chewing on his bread a little more forcefully.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


While the two main dorms were close to the academy, the third dorm was located at the end of the tiny town sitting comfortably at the feet of the academy. It might make their way to the academy slightly longer, but Chanyeol wouldn't have it any other way. The town was cozy and full of friendly people who seemed to embrace the hustle and bustle of a new school year starting. With this being the last free day for awhile and with no schedules on hand, Chanyeol took it upon himself to explore every nook and cranny of the town. He walked past the small river and the church, and took some time to play with the huge, fluffy dog of the head sister. He also familiarized himself with the shops, from the florist to the bookstore, from a small, hidden bakery to the shady-looking thrift store he instantly fell in love with.

So engrossed in exploring, Chanyeol only remembered to grab his schedules when the sun was low on the sky already.

With a muttered curse on his lips, he made his way to the student council building, only stopping in his tracks when he saw a flash of white from the corner of his vision. Quite a few noble students were roaming the town, so Chanyeol could only blame it on coincidence that he'd even noticed. But down at the small pier - almost perfectly hidden from any passerby's sight - sat Jongdae on a bench, staring into the river, water reflections dancing at his feet.

Chanyeol's first instinct was to be annoyed, the second to be curious. But Jongdae didn't seem to do anything but sit there.

For a few, long seconds, Chanyeol stared at him.

Had he eaten by now?  
Probably... right?

He shook the thought off, internally scolded himself and left. Why should he care? If Jongdae went into standby as soon as there was nobody around him to mess with, that was not Chanyeol's problem. Unlike him, he had plenty of things to do. Like... gathering his schedules for example.

* * *

"There you... go!"

"Thanks," Chanyeol beamed, looking down at his schedule, only to hesitate.

"Uhm. I don’t think that’s my schedule."

"Oh?"

The student council president - a ruffled-looking, young man who had introduced himself as Junmyeon - comically turned his head to peer down at Chanyeol's paper.

"Right," he said slowly, brows furrowing as he went back to rummaging through the piles of paper on his desk.

Chanyeol kept on a polite face, trying not to judge him.

"I swear it was right around... here! There, this should be it."

Grateful, Chanyeol took his schedule, attempting to return the initial piece of paper, but Junmyeon made no move to take it.

"Ah, would you mind doing me a favour and deliver that one? It's the last one, actually, and you two live in the same dorm, anyway, right?"

Denying the student council president wasn't _really_ an option and Junmyeon was so apologetic about it that Chanyeol bit his lips and nodded before he knew it.

"Of course."

The relief on the other's face told him that he'd made the right decision.

"Great! That means I can move to the conference room now," Junmyeon rattled down. "There's still a lot of organizing to do regarding the open club Saturday. Did you decide on a club already?"

Chanyeol shook his head, which was all the response the other waited for.

"It's alright, there's still a week left until you get to pay them all a visit. I'm sure you'll find a good one - but if not, the student council is always hiring!"

"I'll- think about it," Chanyeol stammered, and Junmyeon smiled widely.

"Great. Good luck on your first week and don't hesitate to stop by if anything's bothering you - see you!"

Just like that, Chanyeol found himself outside of the other's office, blankly staring at nothing as his brain tried to progress the past minute.  
How had he gotten from the other's desk to the hallway again?

Chanyeol blinked and slowly shook his head.

Whatever _that_ had been, he made a mental note not to join the student council. That guy seemed like the human incarnation of caffeine - active, friendly and possibly a little manic.

He closed his eyes, but that didn't make the paper in his hand disappear. Something about it seemed oddly mocking to him.

Why couldn't Jongdae get his own schedule, anyway? Had he assumed someone would deliver it to him?

Chanyeol angrily stared at the paper, only to fold it in half almost vengefully, stuffing it in his pocket and hoping it would get all wrinkled. So what if he was petty?

Luckily enough, Jongdae was still sitting by the pier. Chanyeol stared down at him for a moment, trying to come up with a haughty, wordy comment to really show him up. Jongdae didn't look up at all, and despite his seemingly elegant, relaxed posture, his hand was balled into a fist on the bench.

Chanyeol stared at him, willing down the blossoming, intrusive thoughts.

He would most certainly not care.

It would be ridiculous to care.

Jongdae wouldn't thank him, and honestly? He deserved to suffer for being so rude to Yixing. 

He really did.

Chanyeol knew that.

...and yet he turned on his heels with an exasperated groan.

A few minutes later, he all but stomped down the stairs. Jongdae went from looking startled to sighing in annoyance. For once, Chanyeol was inclined to agree with him.

"Your schedule," he snapped curtly, shoving both said schedule and a paper bag into the other's face. Irritated, Jongdae leaned back even as he took the two objects.

"I don't remember asking you to play delivery boy for me."

"Well, good for you," Chanyeol countered, mimicking his exasperation, "because if you did, you'd not have your stupid schedule right now. When were you planning on getting it? At midnight? The student council president isn't _living_ in that office, you know?"

Jongdae shot him a look, a tick of confusion cracking through the unpleasant atmosphere. It passed in the blink of an eye though.

"And how would _this_ be related to my schedule?" Jongdae inquired, frowning at the two chocolate rolls inside the paper bag.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes.

"Just take it."

He _saw_ the way Jongdae's nose turned up in what was probably distaste.

"You're the last person in this entire town to make a pity gift-" he began, but Chanyeol wouldn't have it.

"Well, jokes on you, cause I didn't buy those!"

The statement came out loud and oddly unfinished, but Chanyeol soldiered on, because what other choice did he have?

"The one who got them was- Jongin."

Jongdae shot him a long look, but Chanyeol wasn't deterred, voice growing more confident now that he'd found a solid excuse.

"Jongin must have felt sorry for you," he rambled on. "And since the cafeteria is still closed today, this was all he could think of. You should just suck it up and accept _his_ nice gesture, at least. Or, you know what? Throw them out, for all I care. I wouldn't even be surprised."

For a full five seconds, they had a silent staring contest...

...until Jongde gave in first with an irritated sigh.

"Just- just go and be obnoxious elsewhere," he breathed out, averting his gaze to stubbornly look into the river again.

"I will," Chanyeol announced as snippily as he could. "Seeing as I'm no match for you in that regard. Might as well give up on trying."

He took two stairs at once, walking back to the dorm without looking back even once.

  
  


* * *

  
  


He waited until the next morning to discreetly ask Jongin whether Jongdae had approached him about anything. Jongin only tilted his head in question.

Chanyeol didn't know what to make of it.  
Or what to feel about it, for that matter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woops, sorry if this was very exposition-heavy. It had to be conveyed sooner rather than later *haha*
> 
> Yeah, as you can tell, I'm kinda motivated, and I'm not gonna lie - the warm reception I got played a huge part.  
> Thanks guys, for indulging me with this!! ;;
> 
> Love you all,  
> Sugary
> 
> P.S.: I have yet to find anyone familiar with these games but I'll still put up the disclaimer that I tweaked a few things to suit this story *lol*


	3. Obstacles

"So, did you guys decide on a club already?"

Chanyeol looked up from his pleasantly cool chocolate milk. Only a week had passed since they'd moved into the dorm but it was already obvious that Luhan was going to be the social glue of the group. Him and Jongin. This wasn't the first time he'd initiated friendly smalltalk during breakfast or dinner, and he had a knack for sparking conversations everyone could partake in.

"I was thinking of the literature club," Jongin hummed, sleepy but good-natured. "There are so many literary works of your country that I have never heard of. They're all quite different from my people's writings, too."

"Are they? I gotta admit, I'm not big on reading," Luhan trailed off casually, to which Yifan gave him a _look_.

"You're not big on reading and entered an Academy?" he asked flatly.

"A _Military_ Academy," Luhan corrected him, scooping up some more of Yixing's perfectly cooked rice. "What club are you gonna go for?"

Yifan shrugged. '

"Swimming, probably."

His response was curt and left no real openings, but Chanyeol was honestly amazed Luhan got a word out of him at all. Yifan wasn't big on talking in general, but in their dorms? He turned completely mum.

Luhan only nodded and turned towards Yixing.

"You? Cooking, right?"

"However did you guess that?" Yixing asked, composed and serene as ever. Chanyeol couldn't keep his thoughts to himself and grinned.

"For real, Luhan - like he still needs to study cooking! Did you actually try this? We're lucky you're on breakfast duty!"

"I'm flattered, but there's still a lot of room for improvement," Yixing commented, reaching for his tea.

As per usual, he exuded this dignified aura; even the way he expressed himself had a very distinct, noble feel to it, and yet Chanyeol had never once been annoyed by Yixing. For some reason, this behaviour didn't come across as stilted and arrogant when Yixing displayed it. In a way, it even suited him.

Chanyeol had absolutely no clue how he did it, but thinking about it inadvertently meant thinking about the second noble occupying the table. The one ticking off all the boxes and even coming up with some new ones.

"A wise outlook," Jongdae commented, curt and distanced as usual.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes.

"I can only try," Yixing replied. "Has any club caught your attention already?"

"I won't be joining any of them," came the cool response.

"Oh? What a pity."

Yixing sounded entirely unaffected but Chanyeol silently frowned into his food. Sure, joining a club was not obligatory and no one could force you to - but it was a good way to pass time, to act out a hobby or to hone one's skills in an area untouched by their school subjects. But most importantly-

"You sure about that? Clubs seem great for making some friends," Jongin piped up.

He was right of course. It was a known fact that most students regarded their fellow club members as their closest friends. They were like a small community within the academy, like a comfortable circle of people who shared interests. And considering the amount of clubs they had, there was usually one for every common interest. _Everyone_ was in a club. But of course the great Kim Jongdae was itching to be different.

"I've got no interest in making friends," he said with a certain finality to it. It seemed insulting, considering that everyone at the table - and Jongin in particular - was so friendly to him, only to be indirectly shot down. Chanyeol put down his spoon to glare at him. Nobody disrespected Yixing and Jongin in his presence.

"Oh, however will people cope, knowing they're not your friend?" he asked flatly. Luhan's fain't "Chanyeol, no-" completely went over his head when Jongdae just scrunched up his nose, somehow managing to look blasé and unimpressed at the same time.

"However do people cope with actually _being_ your friend?"

Chanyeol hated how familiar the tight ball of annoyance felt in his stomach, and he hated how unbothered Jongdae looked, sitting there in his perfectly pressed uniform, holding his spoon like he was dining with the king himself.

In fact, the longer he thought about it, the more he realized he just hated _everything_ about Jongdae.

"Goddess, I'm _sick_ of you-" Chanyeol began, prompting both Jongin and Luhan to drown out the merrily blossoming argument. Or at least attempting to. Chanyeol was already feeling the heat painting his cheeks red.

"Just admit that you're too good to stoop low enough to have some fun," he snapped. "Besides, it's not my fault you're excruciating to be around!"

"I see you're still in dire need of a mirror?" Jongdae asked back in faux pity. "Though I should have guessed that much just by looking at you."

"Oh? Why? Cause I didn't get my nails scrubbed by some maid who then ironed my uniform for me?" Chanyeol asked, provocation dripping from his every syllable. Jongdae did that infuriating thing where he raised his eyebrows and leaned back in his seat.

"Maybe a maid tending to your appearance would actually do you some good. She might even explain the concept of a comb to you."

"Maybe joining the cooking club would do _you_ some good so we won't get poisoned tonight-"

"Considering the type and amount of food you eat _voluntarily_ , I seriously doubt any dish could do me that favour-"

With a loud, exasperated groan, Luhan gave up, exchanging looks with the others that Chanyeol missed entirely, too engrossed in hissing at Jongdae for the entire rest of their breakfast.  
  


* * *

There wasn't a single noble member in the engineering club and Chanyeol wouldn't have it any other way. Everyone was wearing their cheapest set of clothes, jokes and laughter filled the air, and not a single person was without streaks of grime clinging to their skin. It was exhilarating, comforting, and just _perfect_.

"We'd _love_ to have you," the current club leader beamed, finally tearing his gaze away from the little toy car Chanyeol had brought.

He was a second-year named Minseok with unruly black hair, round glasses and a hint of freckles hidden beneath the dirt staining his cheeks. He was obviously older than Chanyeol, but his child-like enthusiasm made Chanyeol feel at home straight away.

"Really? Thanks," Chanyeol burst out, unable to keep his excitement to himself. "I'm stoked! Man, all your projects look so cool! I can't believe you built that miniature airship. The details are amazing, especially on the rear, just. Wow, I'm honoured I get to work with you guys-"

Minseok dismissed him with a shake of his head.

"We're honoured to have _you_. Club meetings are every Sunday but the building's open every day, and there's pretty much always someone around here doing _something_. So stop by whenever you're free, okay?"

He offered his hand, not even bothering to take off the glove. With the widest grin, Chanyeol took it.

This was going to be great, he knew it already.

"I'll come back tomorrow, right after my lessons," Chanyeol promised. "For today, I'd like to explore some more, since, you know, it's a rare opportunity."

"Sure," Minseok shrugged. It was obvious from his expression that nothing of interest could possibly wait outside the engineering shed, but he was benevolent about it.

"Just don't let any other club snatch you away!"

"Not gonna happen," Chanyeol reassured him, and meant it. He'd made a beeline for the engineering club because he knew it was the only club for him but that didn't mean he wasn't curious about what the other clubs were up to. After all, he'd only been at the academy for a week, and hadn't really taken the time to explore the grounds. He'd been to the entrance hall for the initiation ceremony, of course, and by now, he was slowly getting the hang out of the main building with all the classrooms. But there were plenty of other facilities on the campus, such as the sport's ground, the big, pompous-looking gym, the library, or the multi-storied school union building. Every single building looked old but pristine, with polished marble, columns, and hand-carved stone decorations everywhere. It made him feel like he was exploring a different era, and seeing all the students be completely at home in them felt oddly refreshing. Sure, there were a few nobles lounging around, shooting haughty looks at anyone and wasting air, but Chanyeol was pleasantly surprised to see that most clubs accepted both nobles and commoners (aside from the separated chess clubs).  
In fact, class didn't seem to matter much within most clubs. The worst he saw was the fencing club - which seemed like combat lessons all over again - where nobles and commoners stuck to themselves. But he also saw a group of people fishing together, too enraptured in... staring at the water surface, Chanyeol guessed, to care about the different uniforms they wore. He also caught a glimpse of Yifan at the gym, wearing nothing but a tight pair of shorts, which somehow managed to look both comical and concerningly attractive, so Chanyeol didn't stay around for long.

At the student union building, he saw Jongdae hover in the cafeteria on the first floor. Much to his chagrin, he eventually took the stairs, leading up to the club rooms. Chanyeol made a face, but followed him regardless. The majority of the club rooms were located upstairs, and a grumpy little wannabe-prince would not stop him. In fact, he should probably make sure the other didn't go around letting people know how dumb they were for wanting to enjoy their lives. He wouldn't put it past him to make some freshmen cry just for the heck of it.

As expected, the corridor with doors branching off to the left and right was crowded and filled with chatter. Jongdae was simply standing there, just shy of blocking the stairs - though it wouldn't have mattered much, since everyone was careful not to bump into him. People were staring, and Chanyeol wanted to grip every single person by the shoulders and shake them until they realized that there was absolutely no reason to pay attention to that prick.

Jongdae's blank expression made way for distaste when he realized that Chanyeol was standing on the stairs, staring at him.

"Who do I need to pay off for you to leave me alone?" he asked, snide as ever, but Chanyeol swore the words came out more strained than usual.

"Don't flatter yourself," Chanyeol snapped, taking the last stairs if only to be a head taller again. "Watching paint dry would be more riveting than following you around."

"I'm surprised the word _riveting_ is part of your vocabulary," Jongdae retorted in clear condescension, already slipping back into his haughty ways, but before he could say anything else, they were both interrupted.

"Kim Jongdae. What a pleasure to see you again."

Chanyeol turned around in search of the person daring to interrupt them, only to see a second-year noble walk down the stairs. If his slow-paced, dramatic steps even counted as walking. Chanyeol already hated him.

"Good day to you," Jongdae said with the stiff impassiveness that made it abundantly clear he couldn't care less about the guy stopping on the stairs and looking down on him.

"And what a wonderful day it is. Perfect to go for a ride."

While the other was simpering away, voice sickeningly sweet and eyes glinting sharply, Chanyeol took the time to properly frown at him. The guy was perfectly groomed, to the point that he looked like a puppet. His silver hair looked every bit as soft as Jongdae's, and he was wearing visible jewelry consisting of slim, silvery chains around his neck and adorning one ear. He was even wearing makeup - something not even nobles seemed to do on campus.

"Were you stopping by to visit the salon, after all?"

Chanyeol's gaze flickered upwards. Right. The third floor was nobles-only, and apparently included a staffed beauty parlour. For once, Jongdae seemed to share his sentiments, judging by the way his nose wrinkled in mild disgust.

"I'm afraid not," he said curtly, already turning to leave. "My answer is going to stay the same, so there's no need to waste any time on me. In fact, I wouldn't want to keep you. If you'll excuse me."

Just like that, Jongdae slid past Chanyeol and walked down the stairs, somehow managing to look like he wasn't on the run. Because however ridiculous the thought might be, he had definitely just made a run for it. An elegant, prancy run, but a run nonetheless. Not to mention that his choice of words had probably been incredibly rude if even Chanyeol was able to pick up on it. A shadow flickered over the noble's expression but his smile remained - even when his bright eyes were fixated on Chanyeol instead.

"Can I help you?" he asked, and judging by the tone, he could have just as well threatened to strangle him. Chanyeol's shoulders drew up, and the fact that the other made him feel defensive... pissed him off. Still, he stayed calm. Or tried to.

"I doubt it," he said, and the sass had the other narrow his eyes at him.

"You have quite the attitude. If it weren't for the obvious, I'd say you quite match Jongdae."

The other's eyes flit down to his lips, which caused Chanyeol to reflexively rub the back of his hand along the lower half of his face, coming out slightly dirt-streaked. Despite everything, Chanyeol could feel his ears heat up. Without a word, he turned on his heel and walked down the stairs to look for a bathroom.

What a loathsome guy.

While he was washing his face and hands yet again, Jongdae popped up in his head. Clearly, the other had meant to do something upstairs, only to flee when that prissy noble had caught him. Curious.

* * *

  
  


Yes, curious indeed, Chanyeol thought lightly, leaning against one of the bookshelves, nodding to himself.

It seemed like no matter what he did, he couldn't get away from Jongdae today. He'd had so much fun exploring the clubs and simply meant to stop by the library real quick to grab a certain history book... only to stumble across Jongdae _yet again_. It was comical, really. There he was, back perfectly straight as he looked at one of the two books in his hand - one in a dark green binder and the other in an almost violently orange one. Chanyeol had been intent on ignoring him this time around, but the history section was right behind them.

He sighed.

He simply didn't have the energy to fight Jongdae again already. The day had simply been too god for that. Maybe he should just return another time. Surely people weren't hoarding books this early into the year-

Someone walked past him, stepping on his foot in the process. Chanyeol grunted in surprise more so than pain, but the offender simply walked past him, leaving Chanyeol to gape.

Some random noble had just stepped on him and just kept walking? Did that really just happen?

He was about to call after him when the guy stopped in front of Jongdae.

"Kim Jongdae," he said, no, announced, and Chanyeol reflexively hid behind the shelf in order to stay unnoticed.

Again? How often did these encounters happen in one day? Why was everyone so keen on talking to Jongdae?

Through a gap in the shelf he watched Jongdae put both books back in an unusually swift and subtle move even as his expression remained unperturbed.

"Huang Zitao," he echoed, and Chanyeol sucked in a breath. Now that was a name he recognized. The Huangs were one of the five noble houses reigning over the country. Not that Chanyeol was impressed or anything. No, it only fueled his anger because apparently, this guy was so infatuated with his own status that he hadn't even spared Chanyeol a glance before literally trampling him. He'd probably done it on purpose, too.

"Baekhyun told me he met you at the student council building."

How anyone could manage sounding more nasal and cocksure than Jongdae was beyond Chanyeol.

"Hardly an event worth passing on," Jongdae commented, and if Chanyeol didn't know any better, he'd guess the other was tired.

"You're underselling yourself," Huang Zitao commented. Interestingly enough, he looked more like a Northener than Jongin did, with his caramel tan and strong, cat-like features - though his sandy blonde hair and jewelry-ridden appearance clashed with that.

Right now, Chanyeol had a hard time deciding whether Zitao or Baekhyun pissed him off more.

"Was there anything you needed from me?" Jongdae asked, which appeared to be noble slang for 'What the hell do you want from me?' - just an educated guess by Chanyeol.

"I was wondering whether you have chosen a club already," Zitao sneered - Chanyeol couldn't help it, it was definitely a sneer and not a harmless question.

"None have caught my interest," Jongdae shot him down swiftly, and it was obvious that to him, the conversation was over and done with.

"As someone of your name, I would have expected you to join the fencing club," Zitao went on as if Jongdae had never even replied. "You do know that Baekhyun leads the club, don't you?"

"I am well aware," Jongdae replied, looking like his patience was running thin. "Fencing is simply something I do not see myself filling my free time with on top of regular practice."

"Is that so?" Zitao asked. Chanyeol couldn't see his face, but he sounded somewhat disappointed.

"Well, since you're obviously not going to join a club as menial as, say, the gardening club, or are to waste your time on art, I was wondering which club you'd choose," Zitao kept pressing, and Chanyeol saw the way Jongdae's jaw tensed.

"I'll do just fine without a club," he said with scalding finality. Something about his tone was different from when he bickered with Chanyeol. Like the light, icy tone Chanyeol was so used to hearing was replaced with a heavier, gloomier one.

It seemed to work because Zitao took a step back.

"I see. What a pity. Maybe you'll change your opinion at some point."

Then he stalked away without as much as a goodbye, cheeks dusted red with embarrassment.

Chanyeol felt a prick of mean satisfaction seeing the other put down a notch, but it dissipated when he saw Jongdae's shoulders sagging. He looked... defeated. It wasn't all that noticeable, but Chanyeol had spent way too much time looking at his uppity, relaxed expression to not see the difference.

He couldn't help remembering their breakfast conversation, and how adamant Jongdae had been about not wanting any friends.

How many snooty students had approached him this day alone, with the sole intent of throwing some noble phrases at him and vying for friendship? They wanted him to go to the salon, told him what kind of clubs he should be attending and simply demanded attention. Just thinking of being in his place made Chanyeol want to tear his hair out.

If he was in his place, he'd just do whatever the hell he wanted.

Right?

He peeked through the shelf once more, watching the way Jongdae threw one last, fleeting look at the bookshelf. After a beat of hesitation, he left - luckily without noticing Chanyeol at all.

Well, Chanyeol thought to himself, slumping against the shelf with his back, at the end of the day, he had absolutely no clue what was going on in Kim Jongdae's head. None at all. Whether he simply had no passions or whether engaging with these snooty people wasn't worth pursuing a club. Maybe he genuinely enjoyed being on his own, or maybe doing whatever he wanted _would_ stir up gossip and whatnot. To Chanyeol, anything was possible at this point, mostly because he didn't understand nobles at all. Not even a tiny bit.

Maybe it was this sheer cluelessness that had him approach the bookshelf and reach for the two books Jongdae had decided to leave behind.

One was a collection of the photography club's exhibitions over the past decade.

The other was a simple recipe book.

For the longest time, Chanyeol simply stood there, looking at the books in his hands as conflicting emotions flickered over his expression.

* * *

  
  


Jongdae had put his jacket over one of the chairs and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. Like that, he stood at the kitchen counter with his back to the entrance. He hadn't moved a muscle for at least ten seconds.

Chanyeol watched him from the door, internally beating down the last of his doubts.  
Then he took a deep breath and stalked towards him. He'd never seen Jongdae flinch like that, but confusion turned to annoyance real quick - and then back to confusion when Chanyeol pushed him aside to make room for himself at the counter. He didn't exactly _shove_ him; just somewhat forcefully slipped into his former spot.

"Move it," he ordered, and the tiny glance he allowed himself told him that Jongdae really did look tired.

"What's this supposed-" Jongdae began, but Chanyeol cut him off right away.

"I'm cooking today. We're swapping chores. You clean the windows for me."

He'd be lying if he denied that he was imitating the finality Jongdae had used earlier, at the library. To his utter surprise, Jongdae didn't let out a peep of protest. Too stubborn to look up, Chanyeol reached for a cutting board and tomatoes, waiting for a snide remark that never came.

Nothing but the sound of his cutting knife meeting the wooden board was heard. At some point, Jongdae had wordlessly stepped back to make room for Chanyeol, but he never left.

What started out as annoying silence periodically grew heavier and began to make Chanyeol anxious. That was ridiculous, of course - it was all in his head. That damn Jongdae probably let him stew in his own thoughts on purpose.

Chanyeol saw his reflection in one of the pots, saw him lean against the other end of the isle, just two steps away, arms crossed and gazed fixated on the counter. He simply stood there, no taunts or quips leaving his lips, and so Chanyeol stayed silent himself. It was really weird. Coexisting in the same space without arguing was weird.

It was actually not that hard to focus so as long as Jongdae zipped it though.

Maybe it didn't have to be weird-

The lull of peaceful silence was shattered when the door was opened and chatter flooded the room.

Chanyeol turned around, refusing to meet Jongdae's cryptic gaze for longer than a split second.

"Oh, what is that? Are you helping Jongdae cook?" Yixing asked right away, a delighted smile on his face.

"Somehow, I have an inkling that that's _not_ what's been going on here," Luhan muttered, and Chanyeol scoffed.

"Don't be ridiculous," he said, turning back to grab an egg from the box. "I've been craving traditional Roer tomato stew and there's no way in hell that guy would get it right."

"I wasn't aware commoners were so _picky_ ," Jongdae commented, finally turning away to gather bowls. "How ironic, considering your pride in being oh so down to earth."

"Compared to you I'm not down to earth, I'm three feet under," Chanyeol rolled his eyes, to which Jongdae only snippily added how "Six would work even better," and Luhan groaned dramatically.

"You're never gonna stop, are you?"

"It's not on me that he has the intellect of a block of wood," Jongdae shrugged.

"It's not on me that he's _unbearable_ ," Chanyeol huffed out pettily as he dunked the ladle into the stew a little too forcefully.

He still took the bowls that Jongdae was offering him one by one though.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo, enter Obsession Baekhyun and the fabulous Zitao!  
> They're off to bitchy start, but I love them both.  
> A friend told me to make Minseok a nerd of some kind, so here he is, obsessing over mechanical figurines and machines.  
> This chapter might be a little weird because I've been caught up in the Corona disaster and am exhausted buuut.... I'm posting it, anyway!
> 
> Stay safe guys!  
> Love,  
> Sugary


	4. Fire and Fire

Two months into the year, their practical training was set to start, and Chanyeol was pretty excited. He was no stranger to burying his nose in books, and they'd had regular training sessions to keep them physically fit. In fact, those training sessions alone were enough to leave Chanyeol gasping like a fish on water, so he'd tried to sneak in some private exercises whenever he could. Unlike nobles, Chanyeol had never received basic lessons with weapons of any kind. In fact, even most commoners had more weaponry expertise than Chanyeol, who, at best, was decent with an orbal rifle.

So if he embarrassed himself, he'd prefer it didn't start with him gasping like a fish on land after the warm ups.

"You're even more hyper than usual today," Luhan commented, setting down a can of orange juice before slipping into his seat for breakfast. By now, they had an unspoken seating arrangement with Yixing at the head of the table, closest to the kitchen, followed by Luhan and Yifan by his side, and Chanyeol and Jongin a seat further into the room. Which meant that Chanyeol was usually seated across Jongin, with a good look at Luhan... and Jongdae. Who was sitting next to Jongin, as far away and isolated as possible without actually leaving empty seats. Luhan had already threatened to have them sit on opposite heads of the table, if only to minimize their bickering - in Chanyeol's eyes, that would be a blessing, if anything. Still, giving in meant... giving in. To what, Chanyeol wasn't too sure, but he liked his spot at the table, and he wasn't willing to move simply because Jongdae's only hobby was silently daring him to snap.

"Well, our training sessions start today," Jongin provided, looking a little more awake than usual as well. "I hope I'm allowed to use my lance."

"It's a traditional weapon where you're from, right?" Yixing asked, ever so interested in Jongin's home country.

"It is!" he agreed with all but sparkling eyes. "Though we also learn to use a bow, since it's a valuable hunting tool."

Having to hunt for food out in the wild sounded like a nightmare to Chanyeol, but he refused to slip into the prejudice that highlanders were savages. After all, Jongin was about as savage as Yifan, who was currently busy channeling his inner stone statue - something he usually did when Yixing or Jongdae were around.

It had taken Chanyeol a while to notice, but once he did, he could not unsee it.

Yixing, however, seemed blissfully oblivious of Yifan's uncomfortable state.

"Have you been training in the weaponry department as well?"

"A little," was all Yifan said, focusing on his food like he was worried it might slip away should he avert his gaze for only a second.

"With a sword?" Yixing kept prodding, and Chanyeol decided to put the other out of his misery.

"That's already infinitely more than I can say about myself," he whined. "I'm not exactly from a military background. I never even held a sword in my entire life."

"Then why are you here again?" Jongdae asked, vaguely bored and still a bit too drowsy to come up with a sharper, snarkier response.

"To learn it? I don't know what you've been doing here, but as far as I see it, academies are meant to teach you things."

Of course Jongdae wouldn't let a successful jab go unanswered.

"Coming here wholly unprepared, expecting people to drop knowledge into your lap. How unexpectedly entitled for someone so proud of being of the working class," he drawled out.

"And I had some lessons with a bow as a kid - which went terrible, by the way, thanks for asking," Luhan cut them both off with a tight smile _daring_ them to further violate their new rule of 'no feuds at the breakfast table'. Not being able to have the last word on this, Chanyeol pouted into his sandwich, but the disappointment was short-lived.

Because he may be a total beginner when it came to traditional weaponry, but he was very confident in his skills regarding the second part of their training.

And that area was one where Jongdae's fancy court-fencing (or whatever nobles did in their copious amounts of free time) wouldn't get him very far.

Jongdae had no idea what was coming for him.

  
  


* * *

  
  


A small stream of water swirled through the air in a neat spiral. There wasn't even the faintest wobble to it.

"Splendid, Kim, keep it up."

Was Chanyeol disappointed? Quite frankly? Yes.

He tried not to show it, though, because the other already had a head big enough to fill out the entire gym.

This was the first day of orbal training, and Chanyeol had been so confident on that one. Because while he wasn't well-versed in weaponry of any kind, he had a knack for using orbs, the natural stones containing elemental energy. Sure, _technically,_ anyone could use them, but it took a lot of intuition and mental control to achieve anything other than an outburst of unfocused energy.

Having grown up around mechanics, however, Chanyeol was well-accustomed to orbs and how to use them.

He knew how to arrange the small, round stones on a connector board in order for them to influence each other, and he knew exactly how to activate and use their energy. He could put together an orbal hair dryer with no problem, for heaven's sake.

So why was Jongdae still the one everybody praised?

Why did Kim Jongdae have to be perfect at everything he did?

"Next, try a three element combination," the instructor - a cranky old ex-army witch - demanded with crossed arms. "See if you can hold it. Spread out, keep your distance, we don't want any fatal injuries."

Chanyeol resisted the urge to roll his eyes, if only out of fear of their instructor. Sustaining fatal injuries with three tiny orbs would count as an achievement. He reached into the bowl entrusted to him earlier, taking out three of the marble-sized orbs. Fire, Air, Water. Arranged in a line with Air being the connector. Easy.

His right hand was his dominant one, so wearing the glove holding the orbs on his left hand came natural to him - and with his pointer and middle finger, Chanyeol touched the water orb first, feeling the cool energy well up and magnify the water in the air around him. He willed it into a thin, focused stream hovering in the air, forming a simple circle. His thumb came to a rest on the fire orb next, fingers quickly drawing together to end on the centerpiece, air. With a hiss, the water evaporated, creating a circle of steam that was turning slowly. Chanyeol kept watching it for a while, even tilting the angle a little, just for fun. Using orbs was fun.

Not all of his dorm mates seemed inclined to agree though, judging by the level of chaos around him that kept the instructor busy. Luhan had somehow managed to drench both his arms to the point that water was dripping everywhere, while Yifan was clearly wearing the glove on his wrong hand, Chanyeol could tell even from afar. Jongin just stood there, looking mildly frustrated as seemingly nothing happened. Yixing hadn't gone for a specific form to channel the orbal energy into, but he seemed to have no issues keeping them stable at least. Generally speaking, all the nobles seemed to do a slightly better job than the commoners - a fact that did not go unnoticed by Chanyeol. Because of course their privilege would enable them to get their hands on orbs early on. They'd probably also had first class connecting boards and private lessons. And Jongdae's background probably took the cake, considering how rich and important he was.

That might explain the other's skills, but it didn't make Chanyeol feel any less annoyed about it.

His moment of triumph, however, came a while later, when they went over the singular elements one by one, going a little more in depth. The instructor seemed interested in knowing their pre-existing skills and boundaries, adding more and more challenges until every student had ended up bowing out. And while Jongdae did ridiculously well with every other element, he had to step down rather quickly when it came to fire exercises. The instructor even told him he was lacking balance. Chanyeol noticed because he'd been watching him - because controlling fire came so easy to him that he barely needed to focus on keeping it in the desired shape at all. In fact, he was the last one standing in no time, and the instructor chickened out before he did.

Keeping his proud grin at bay was pretty hard, and a fleeting glance told him that Jongdae was definitely pissed. _Good,_ Chanyeol thought.

_Take that, pseudo-perfect noble boy!_

  
  


* * *

  
  


With a groan, Chanyeol hit the ground, scraping up his lower arm in an attempt to soften the fall.

He could hear people chat amongst themselves, could hear faint scoffs, and he knew his face was not only beet red from exertion right now.

Above him, Huang Zitao sighed, swinging the tip of his wooden sword like he was shaking excess blood. Show off.

"Can I get another partner already?" he whined - because at this point, he was being _so_ nasal and bored that it all came full circle and he sounded like a whiny child to Chanyeol.

With a huff, Chanyeol got back to his feet, making an attempt to righten his clothing and get back into position. As far as he was concerned, he'd wholeheartedly agree to switching partners. Zitao had humiliated him for most of the training session now, and he was pretty sure he wasn't learning anything but how to kiss the ground. The instructor didn't even bat an eye at the noble tantrum.

"Partners will be switched when I announce it," he said, and that was that. At least to Chanyeol.

Zitao didn't seem to share the sentiment.

"This is just a waste of time," he sighed, moodiness bleeding into his moves that turned a little more aggressive as disarmed Chanyeol with two swift slices, and the wooden sword clattered to the ground.

Chanyeol found it hard to think straight with how humiliated he felt, but he bit his lip and reached for the sword again, wrapping his burning fingers around the grip.

It wasn't exactly fair - Zitao was a high-ranking noble, trained not only in traditional court fencing, but also in an exotic form of swordsmanship that Chanyeol had never even heard of, much less seen in action. By now, he was still pretty sure he'd seen nothing but glimpses of the others skills, and he himself barely knew how to hold a sword.

Yes, sure, battlefields weren't fair either, but Chanyeol knew that already, and getting thrown to the ground while an instructor occasionally yelled at him to be less, well, _him,_ wasn't very helpful.

Giving up was not an option though, so Chanyeol swallowed around the lump in his throat and bent down to reach for his sword, only to feel a foot on his shoulder, pushing him to the ground. It wasn't even the roughest shove, but Chanyeol glared up at the poor excuse for a noble, anyway.

"The hell are you doing?" _Zitao_ asked, after having kicked Chanyeol to the ground before he'd even readied himself. "You can't even lift a sword. Pathetic-"

Chanyeol felt the tears well up, and panicked. If he cried now, nobody would ever let him live it down, so he kept his head down as he blindly reached for his sword-

Only to feel resistance as a foot held it down, expensive boots keeping it in place. With a shaky exhale, Chanyeol tried to gather himself, when he looked up and realized that it wasn't Zitao who was standing on his sword. It was Jongdae.

"How about I be your sparring partner?" he suggested, wearing a thin smile as he regarded Zitao with what Chanyeol could only describe as silky contempt. "I am most impressed by your swordsmanship. Humor me?"

Zitao's eyes lit up at this, clearly eager to face off someone of Jongdae's rank. The foot on his sword was lifted and Chanyeol took it, stepping out of the way without as much as a look in Jongdae's direction. He should be yelling at him to get lost, to let him fight his own battle, but at this point, Chanyeol hardly saw a point in insisting on his place. He was neither going to learn anything nor would he be able to score a hit. With a skill gap this vast, even being conniving or quick-witted wouldn't get him anywhere, so if the two nobles wanted a posturing contest, well, Chanyeol was too tired to be a part of it right now. His fingers were throbbing, his skin burnt where he'd chafed it open, and he just wanted a break.

To his surprise, both Zitao and Jongdae got in proper position and bowed to each other. It was a quick, fleeting move, but he could already tell that Zitao took the other seriously where he had just toyed with Chanyeol earlier. Jongdae's posture radiated routine and experience as well. Straight, controlled, and with no hesitation in his grip or expression. Just razor sharp focus as he deflected Zitao's first attack. Chanyeol wanted to watch and learn, but they both moved too fast, too purposeful to try and even understand what was going on. Chanyeol had rarely gotten the opportunity to watch people spar up this close, much less on such a level.

He'd also never seen Jongdae actually exert himself. For once, the effort was written into his face, displayed by the sheen of sweet and heavy breathing as he responded to Zitao's attacks with poignant strikes of his own. Zitao's technique was foreign, flowy and full of unpredictable moves, and Jongdae was undeniably shorter than him, but he stood his ground. Despite Chanyeol's embarrassing lack of expertise, the influences of traditional court fencing were obvious in his every flick and sweep.

"They're both so good," Jongin hummed next to him. They weren't the only ones watching though - by now, a few other couples had put down their swords in favour of watching them, and the instructor was standing nearby with his arms crossed, looking wholly unimpressed. He let them fight though, watching as Jongdae was seemingly pushed back more and more, only for him to suddenly dart to the side, bat Zitao's sword away with a resounding clank of wood on wood, and then it was over. Just like that, it was all over, with the blunt tip of Jongdae's sword hovering over the other's throat.

Two seconds of stunned silence later, the chattering around them picked up again, and both Jongdae and Zitao reverted into their original positions for a final bow.

"Thanks for the match," Jongdae said, somehow managing to sound entirely unaffected, despite the sweat matting down his bangs.

"The honour is mine," Zitao responded through gritted teeth, clearly embarrassed over his loss.

"Are you done with this childish display?" the instructor asked, heaving a sigh. "I shall let this slide because it's our first lesson, but the next time I catch one of you disregarding my orders, there will be consequences. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, instructor," they both responded, more or less in unison.

"That was so nice of Jongdae though, wasn't it?" Jongin asked conversationally.

Chanyeol shot him a confused look.

"What are you talking about?"

"About him helping you out?" Jongin asked, tilting his head in question. "Clearly, he couldn't stand seeing this guy push you around any longer."

Chanyeol scoffed.

"I don't think you interpreted this correctly," he trailed off, watching Jongdae and Zitao receive criticism on their swordsmanship. "He just wanted to prove himself."

And the fact that he had indirectly proven Chanyeol that he was out of league didn't exactly make him feel any better. Arrogant prick.

"You think so? It's not like Jongdae to seek attention though," Jongin trailed off, but Chanyeol dismissed him with a wave.

"Being noble is all about being better than others. At best, he wanted to put the people below him in their place."

Jongin hummed, sounding a bit skeptical still, but Chanyeol wasn't even particularly angry at Jongdae. As much as he hated to admit it, Zitao had deserved to be put down a notch, even though it came at the expense of Chanyeol's pride.

"And since you're apparently so eager to fight each other, how about a little competition?" the instructor suggested, ripping Chanyeol out of his grumbling.

"You get three days to prepare and form teams of five. Show me what you come up with."

The chatter around them rose in volume but Chanyeol only groaned. Jongin patted his shoulder sympathetically.

"I don't know much about fighting with a sword, but I can practice with you? We'll be in a team together, right? Oh, we should ask Luhan and Jongdae, too-"

Chanyeol didn't even bother putting up a fight as Jongin skipped off to their other dorm mates.

When Jongdae looked his way, Chanyeol made sure not to meet his eyes, trying to look entirely unaffected by this entire disaster of a training session. If Zitao could take humiliation with his dignity somewhat intact, so could he-

"Hey Chanyeol. Jongin wanted us all to team up so- ah, there's a leaf in your hair," Luhan provided helpfully. Chanyeol closed his eyes and took a deep breath...

"Oh, and a little twig. There you go."

...and gave up.

He was screwed.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Straight back, tense arms, a deep breath-

Swipe.

The sword made a faint whirring sound as Chanyeol swung it down. Once. Twice. Thrice.

Well, if he counted every single strike he'd done that day, he'd probably be well on his way to a hundred now, but aside from a terrible ache in his arms, he didn't feel like he was making any progress. He was following the advice Yixing had given him earlier - or at least he was trying to.

With a sigh, he finally lowered his arms, wincing at the pain. The sun was about to go down and every muscle in his body was aching, while the ones in his arms were on fire. There was no way he'd turn into a masterful swordsman within three days. He didn't want to drag his team down though, which was why he was currently standing in the shadow of the South wing, getting in some last, secret training. But if he pushed any further, the blisters on his fingers would probably burst, and then he could kiss the idea of even holding a sword the coming day goodbye. with a frustrated huff, he sank into the grass.

He really couldn't stand losing. Back in his hometown, Chanyeol was known to be hard-headed and stubborn, throwing himself at every challenge until he came out on top, no matter the ridiculous amount of effort needed. And Chanyeol was proud of that reputation. This time, though, his own physical limitations were getting in the way, and it was frustrating.

A rustle cut through the air, followed by a faint hiss, and Chanyeol perked up in worry. Within the blink of an eye, he had dragged himself up and around the corner, only to see his efforts wasted on none other than Jongdae, who was standing there, fingers raised to his lips.

"Oh. It's just you," Chanyeol deadpanned, shoulders lowering. The alarm on Jongdae's face quickly melted into an expression comically similar to Chanyeol's.

"Likewise," was all he said, lowering his hand. It didn't take Chanyeol long to figure out what he'd been doing. The red stones on his glove were all-too telling.

"Burnt yourself?" he asked, and it came out a little moodier than intended.

Jongdae's hand was balled into a fist, but the tension wasn't showing on his face.

"I don't see how that's of your concern," he began, and Chanyeol rolled his eyes, sinking back into the grass.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he groaned, stretching out his legs and back. "Not like I care if you end up scarred."

"Such a minor burn will hardly scar-" Jongdae began in exasperation, cutting himself off when Chanyeol tossed him a small water orb.

"It will, if you stop cooling it," Chanyeol snapped, but it lacked his usual vigour. For one, he was beat, in both a literal and figurative way.

And well, maybe he did feel like he was owing Jongdae something, even if the other hadn't done anything for _him_ specifically.

Jongdae thanked him by narrowing his eyes at him.

"I own water orbs."

"Cool," Chanyeol only said, sinking down to lie on his back and allow the cool evening air to fan over his sweaty skin.

After a while, he saw Jongdae sit down as well, keeping a respectful distance between them. Sure, Chanyeol could just get up and leave, look for a place where he could be alone, but now that he was lying down, he didn't have it in himself to get up again. Besides, if Jongdae wanted him gone, he could leave first.

To his surprise, an entirety of two or three minutes passed before Jongdae decided to open his mouth.

"Having second thoughts already?"

Chanyeol blinked, brows furrowed in confusion.

"About what?"

"About being fit for a military academy."

Chanyeol snorted, expression relaxing again.

"Cause some prick wiped the floor with me today? Think that's gonna stop me? You wish."

Jongdae exhaled, expression unreadable from where Chanyeol was lying. Well, at least he was cooling his knuckles in a mass of steadily floating water.

"What about you?" Chanyeol asked, going back to looking up at the sky. "One tiny bit of criticism and you hide away to train like crazy? Can't stand the fact that there's a single thing you don't excel at?"

It had meant to be a jab, a reminder that Chanyeol did indeed exceed Jongdae in _something,_ but the moment it came out, Chanyeol realized that it was about something different altogether. That he wasn't scoffing at Jongdae's inability to reign over fire.

"It's called trying to better myself," Jongdae said eventually, but the answer came out late, and his voice betrayed that Chanyeol had gotten to him. It was something he was always eager for - getting through to Jongdae, managing to make him lose composure and slip out of his carefully crafted, noble persona.

This time, however, the success didn't feel all that good, and Chanyeol sighed.

"This is why I can't stand nobles," he muttered. "Who cares if you're not a prodigy in every single aspect of life? No need to go this crazy."

"I don't wanna hear that from you, of all people," Jongdae sighed. "And I am not a prodigy in _any_ aspect of my life. It's called hard work."

Chanyeol was ready for him to end on something like 'not like you ever heard of that,' or anything similarly provoking - was ready to fight back, really - but nothing came.

He'd seen Jongdae be very unaffected and blasé, and he'd seen him genuinely ticked off and scalding in his verbal attacks, but right now, he was apparently in no such mood. What he _was_ thinking though, remained a mystery to Chanyeol.

"It was just some minor criticism."

"And I'm actually accepting the criticism and use it to hone my skills," Jongdae replied, clearly growing annoyed. "I don't know what you want from me."

With a small grunt, Chanyeol forced himself to sit up, just for the perfect angle to throw a judgemental stare at Jongdae and his hands.

"Your hands are completely burnt. You call that honing your skills? Take a deep breath and relax. You're good already."

Jongdae looked a little taken aback, and the small body of water splashed down as he self consciously curled his fingers into fists.

"If you reach a certain point, you can't expect to improve at the same rate as a beginner," Chanyeol added, suddenly hyper-aware of the fact that he had just complimented Jongdae, of all people. "Especially not without any guidance at all."

Jongdae looked like he was about to say something, but Chanyeol was faster.

"No, unlike you, I _am_ a pathetic newbie with zero skills. I could probably hold the sword in my hand while jogging and would still improve."

"Why do you sound so proud of yourself?" Jongdae muttered, clearly judging, but Chanyeol wasn't fazed.

"Why would I be ashamed? I'll probably end up dragging our team down, but at least I'll give it my all."

The way Jongdae sighed made it obvious that he thought of Chanyeol as a useless idiot.

"Hopeless."

Oh well, maybe hopeless, too, Chanyeol didn't care-

"Then you teach me instead."

What?

Jongdae sucked on his lip - a motion that Chanyeol paid attention to, for some reason - but he didn't take it back.

"You teach me how to operate fire orbs, and in turn I'll teach you how to use a sword. At least to the point where you're more of a threat to your opponent than to yourself in combat."

When Chanyeol didn't have a reply ready, Jongdae straightened up again, regret flickering over his expression.

"Fine, if you'd rather-"

"Let's do it," Chanyeol cut him off, shaking his head over how eager it had come out. "Not like I'm too hot on having you boss me around, but if that's what it takes to kick that prick's ass - then let's do it."

Jongdae relaxed, Chanyeol could tell by the faint, arrogant drawl returning to his voice.

"Speak for yourself. I have won against Huang and I could do it again any time."

"Not if I'm on your team," Chanyeol provided merrily, feeling uncharacteristically light all of a sudden.

"I'm not sure what prompted it but your sudden burst of self-awareness is certainly inspiring," Jongdae commented flatly, returning to nursing his burnt hands.

It was almost comical how out of his element he seemed to be the moment Chanyeol stopped firing insults his way.

"Just giving you some incentive. You better teach me well or I'll embarrass you right along with me."

"Like your actions would ever affect my reputation," Jongdae replied, eyes on his own hands as he ran his fingers through the newly summoned mass of water. "Just don't go crying to Yixing if it gets rough."

With a huff, Chanyeol lay back again, trying to count the first stars twinkling in the sky.

"Oh please."

The stream of half-hearted, petty comments eventually petered out as Chanyeol fell victim to his own exhaustion.

By the time a foot nudged his side, startling him awake, the sky was already dark. Jongdae announced that he was going home, leaving Chanyeol to sleep on the ground like the uncivilized person that he was, and Chanyeol bickered back about how there was no need to announce his departure - but by the time they both arrived at the dorm together, none of them brought up their promise to the others, which probably qualified as the first moment of mutual understanding between them.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At long last, I'm back!  
> This isn't beta'd yet, so sorry for any mistakes. I might smooth them out soon~
> 
> That aside, I really hope the fact that this is a borrowed AU isn't making things too annoying to read - personally, I just enjoy getting to play with both magic, weapons, and school dynamics.  
> Also I love Zitao. In case that wasn't obvious. Is he grating on your nerves? I hope he is *haha*
> 
> Much love,  
> Sugary


	5. Charging, Retreating, right into a Standstill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Updating before work, I'm sorry for the sloppiness, this is barely proofed, blah blah, you get the gist!
> 
> I hope you have a fun weekend!

"And that concludes homeroom," Instructor Do rattled down, monotonous and bored as ever. "Any questions? Thought so. See you on-"

"I have a question," Yixing cut him off with his hand raised.

It was the first time one of them had been fast or resilient enough to actually get a question in before the Instructor - who had already slung his bag over his shoulder - could leave. It wasn't that he seemed to be in a hurry to get anywhere or that the students made him uncomfortable - he'd just made it very clear, on multiple occasions, that he had absolutely zero interest in being their homeroom teacher. Which, honestly, was kind of rude and uncalled for in Chanyeol's books. Sure, he was probably not thrilled over having to oversee the third dorm, making him the only Instructor to do so. As far as Chanyeol was concerned, though, they hadn't given him a single reason to be so hostile - heck, they barely even encountered him in the dorm, since he lived on the first floor, usually returned late at night, only to leave before Chanyeol slouched into the kitchen. Most homeroom teachers seemed to bond with their classes in some way but with Instructor Do, it was all quick and curt exchange of the most necessary information before he left them to spend their time however.

Yixing, however, ignored the other's attitude with an expression of friendly, blissful obliviousness.

"Surely, you heard of the little mock battles that are going to take place on Friday," he began, unfazed by the fact that their Instructor refused to show any reaction at all, "so I was wondering whether you could give us some combat lessons?"

Instructor Do blinked. Once.

"Ask Instructor Park," he said, and that was it. Or that would be it, if Chanyeol had been the one asking. Yixing, however, acted like the rejection had never even taken place.

"You're a Major of the fourth armored division, right?" he added merrily. "We'd be honoured to learn from you."

Chanyeol stared at his homeroom teacher, taking in the new information. This man was a Major in the army? He sure seemed strict enough to act the part, but it was hard to imagine him having the passion. Or ambition. Especially with the unimpressed way he was currently looking at Yixing.

"My job is to teach combat tactics for second years and up," he clarified. "Not to teach kids on how to win little scruffles. Being a homeroom teacher does not make me a babysitter. Approach Instructor Park if you're so eager to receive additional training."

With that, he grabbed the books off his desk and left, not even gracing them with another look.

The door was closed with an infuriatingly soft click, and the seconds ticked by.

Of course Chanyeol was the first one to burst.

"What a jerk."

For once, no one seemed inclined to disagree with him - not even Jongdae, who looked bored as usual.

Even Luhan looked frustrated.

"Could have said that a little more nicely," he grumbled, slumping over his table. "It's not our fault he hates his job. Not like I'm surprised though. Did you really think he'd be up for it?"

Yixing's smile had grown smaller, and he bit his lips.

"It was worth a try? Honestly, I don't think he's a bad person."

"Could have fooled me," Chanyeol said, rolling his eyes as he zipped up his pencil bag. "Though I guess if that's what being a nice person full of loving interest looks like, Jongdae must be about to marry all of us."

The look on Jongdae's face was an interesting display of refined, utter disgust.

"I am not even going to humor that with a response," he began; but of course he wouldn't actually let it slide and take the jab. "But I can hardly fault Instructor Do for not being thrilled about having a class with you in it."

"Is that all you have?" Chanyeol asked, crossing his arms and ignoring the dull thud of Luhan's forehead meeting the table. "Wow, what a highly intellectual insult. It's like you're begging to be one upped-"

"I wonder why the Instructor doesn't like us very much," Jongin trailed off with a sigh, fingers running over the paper of his book.

"It's probably nothing personal," Yifan assured him.

"You think so?" Jongin asked, looking conflicted.

Chanyeol found it quite unfair that people were ignoring him at this rare display of Jongdae submitting (he had totally won this one, and that was a fact).

"It's alright," Yixing chimed in, back to wearing a placating smile. "We can do this on our own. Though it might not be my place to say this..."

The notion only had Jongin look even more dejected, and Chanyeol couldn't blame him. They were supposed to make up teams of five, which meant that one member of the third dorm would have to team up with someone else. Obviously, Chanyeol would have kicked Jongdae in a heartbeat, but Yixing had decided to step down almost immediately, assuring them that he'd team up with some nobles he was apparently friends with.

"Don't sweat it," Chanyeol said, suppressing the urge to say something along the lines of  _ even though fighting alongside those pricks must suck.  _ After all, he'd called them his acquaintances.

"We'll just team up next time," he said instead, and Yixing shot him a small, grateful smile.

"Indeed," Jongdae agreed, a hue of faux encouragement dusting his next words. "And if we manage to get rid of Park, the victory will be ours."

_ "Excuse me?"  _ Chanyeol spluttered.

Luhan made a drawn out, suffering sound while Yixing had the audacity to look amused.

For a moment, Chanyeol expected Jongdae to expose the fact that he'd actually asked to teach him how to use a sword. Which meant that in turn, Chanyeol would not make it a secret that he was oh so desperate to master fire orbs - he hadn't planned on stooping so low, but if Jongdae did, so would he...

...but it never came.

"Consider yourself excused," was all Jongdae said with a gracious shrug, and Chanyeol gaped at him.

"You are," he began slowly, hands balled into fists on the table, "the most insufferable person I have ever met-"

"That's only cause you never looked into a mirror,"  _ Luhan  _ cut them off, waving through the air with exasperation. "Yes, yes, we get it, can we please move on? Unless you two manage to find a way to bicker Huang and Co into submission, I suggest we use our sparse free time to get some actual training in. I am not skipping club for nothing, okay?"

Jongdae looked mildly scandalized over the brash tone, Chanyeol was very cautiously smug about it, Jongin and Yixing seemed eager to get started, and Yifan just looked tired. It didn't take a genius to see that their chances of transforming into a unified combat division within three days were slim.

Not like Chanyeol would let that stop him - even the tiniest opportunity of being able to tower over a noble was good enough to fuel his spirit.  


* * *

  
  


The first thing Chanyeol did as soon as his training with Jongdae started was hitting the ground. It had happened before he knew it - one moment, he'd stood behind the gym building with his sword held in what was apparently a good starting stance, the next he saw dust flying as his butt met the ground.

"Ow," he groaned, glaring up at Jongdae, whose wooden sword came to a sudden halt before his face. "I wasn't even ready!"

Jongdae didn't even blink and despite the joined, intense training earlier, he didn't seem overly exhausted - much unlike Chanyeol himself. Even from his position on the ground, the golden rays of a soon to set sun made the other's eyes look like liquid amber, almost as if they were taunting him for getting distracted so early into their session.

"Then  _ get  _ ready," Jongdae retorted, not even irritated. "Don't waste my time."

He was taking a surprisingly serious, no-nonsense approach to this - Chanyeol had gone into this  _ expecting  _ to waste his time, if he was being honest. That they'd hiss at each other and that Chanyeol would let himself be tossed around until he got tired of the humiliation. So far, however, there was no satisfaction to be found in Jongdae's expression.

Chanyeol bit his lip and got back to his feet - a motion which Jongdae was eyeing with pursed lips, clearly unimpressed.

"What?" Chanyeol asked defensively, but Jongdae only lunged at him again. Though lunge might not be the most accurate term - the way Jongdae attacked him was nothing but graceful, movements small and energy-preserving, but with deadly precision. Chanyeol managed to deflect one attack, but the second already created an opening allowing Jongdae to shove him to the ground.

With a small grunt, Chanyeol steadied himself, ready to get up and try again, when Jongdae clicked his tongue.

"Stay."

Despite the demand coming out quietly, almost soft-spoken, Chanyeol froze on instinct. It angered him a little how he'd listened and obeyed so well, but before he could get vocal about it, Jongdae spoke up again.

"What is my next move?"

"What?"

"My next move," Jongdae repeated, calm and focused.

"How am I supposed to know?" Chanyeol asked dumbly, feeling fresh embarrassment burn on the tips of his ears.

Jongdae only lightly shook his head.

"There are not many options."

Only then did Chanyeol truly notice that Jongdae hadn't moved at all since he'd thrown Chanyeol down, frozen with his right arm outstretched.

"Uhm. Aiming to slice my head off?" he guessed, and while there was an annoyed twitch of the other's brows, it vanished as quickly as it had come.

"Then block," he said, still speaking as if Chanyeol was someone else entirely. Someone he didn't hate.

Chanyeol lifted his sword just as Jongdae dragged his sword to the air agonizingly slowly, until it met Chanyeol's blade with a soft click. Honestly, Chanyeol was amazed that his prediction had been right, but Jongdae's expression remained blank.

"You wouldn't be able to block at such an awkward angle. There's no strength behind it. One more time."

Chanyeol felt embarrassed, but it was the other's professional demeanour that made him get to his feet, biting back on any remark. The ice beneath them was thin, and a single wrong remark by Jongdae would have Chanyeol snap and leave, that much was obvious. It didn't come though, and so Chanyeol forced himself to get back into position, to let himself be shoved to the ground once more. Again, Jongdae gave him time to gain orientation, to take in the other's posture and attempt to predict his next move. This time, he was entirely wrong.

"The momentum wouldn't allow for that movement," was all that Jongdae said.

By the fifth time of Chanyeol hitting the ground, the swing came a little faster, and Chanyeol was able to block it, if only barely so.

"Just admit that you enjoy kicking me to the ground," he grumbled as he got back up.

Using his moment of distraction, Jongdae attacked, almost slapping the weapon out of his hand, and with a foot against his legs, he went down once more, reflexively holding his sword up to defend himself, but the slice came at a horizontal angle instead, stopping before his collarbone.

"No one could teach you to hold your ground against advanced scholars within three days," Jongdae explained patiently. Chanyeol pretended like he wasn't hurt in the least.

"But what you  _ can  _ do is learn how to recover from the inevitable fall," Jongdae continued, taking a step back to let him get back to his feet. "The key to winning a battle is a combination of observation and reflexes."

Chanyeol thought of the way Huang Zitao had scoffed at him, kicking him into the dust as he had reached for his sword. He still thought the other had been a jerk on purpose, making fun of Chanyeol when he wasn't even aware the battle was still going.

Still, that incident only prove Jongdae's point, so he had no choice but to get up and let Jongdae toss him to the ground again... and again.

It hurt, both his ego and body, and it took a nauseating amount of falls for Chanyeol to even begin getting the gist of it.

_ There are not many options,  _ Jongdae had said. Chanyeol tried to focus on the other's movements, and as fluid and effortless as they were, he was starting to understand what that earlier statement had meant. It was hard to stay alert and watch the other's moves as he was gaining himself yet another bruise on his legs or arms as he hit the floor, but Chanyeol didn't stop trying. He wasn't even thinking about  _ Jongdae  _ anymore, wasn't consciously aware of the other's stupid, arrogant expression, or the way the sun reflected off his hair. This wasn't unlike sport, unlike playing a game, and Chanyeol might be an uncoordinated mess, but he was good at immersing himself in games.

It had long turned dark, forcing them to move just enough to be within the light of the orbal lamps, when Jongdae finally lowered his sword.

"You're getting unfocused," was all he said, and Chanyeol - who was a panting, sweaty mess with streaks of dust reaching from his fingertips up to his hairline - scoffed.

"Gee, I wonder why," he rasped out, shooting him a weak glare. "We can keep going-"

"Not if you want to function tomorrow," Jongdae cut him off, subtly stretching his back and neck. Chanyeol  _ wanted  _ to argue, but with the way every single muscle in his body was aching, he knew he shouldn't. He was already afraid his burning muscles would pull him down during their battle on Friday.

Chanyeol sat up with a faint groan, slowly balling his hand into a fist a couple times. His fingers were shaking and if he wasn't wearing gloves, he'd surely be sporting multiple blisters now.

When he saw a movement out of the corner of his vision, he actually flinched, but it was just Jongdae offering his hand.

Jongdae was offering his hand to him.

With a scoff, Chanyeol got to his feet.

"What, you think I can't get up on my own?"

It had come out more defensively than he'd intended, but before Jongdae could react, Chanyeol bowed.

It was curt and probably sloppy, but Chanyeol felt like it was the appropriate thing to do. This wasn't about social class, it was about proper combat etiquette. At least that's how he'd interpreted what he'd seen so far.

To his surprise, Jongdae bowed right back at him.

The spell seemed broken after that, with how quickly the other's voice dropped from patient and focused to an arrogant drawl.

"You should take a bath if you plan on moving anywhere tomorrow."

"Wow, thanks for the suggestion," Chanyeol snapped sarcastically as they began their walk back to the dorm. "Whatever would I do without a generous noble stepping down to share his wisdom? Unlike you, I'm actually used to physical work. I can handle myself just fine."

"Oh? I don't think I heard you correctly over the sound of your exhausted panting," Jongdae retorted, still putting up this infuriatingly blasé facade.

"Oh? Are your ears as weak as your arms?"

"Bold statement coming from someone who kept getting pushed over by those  _ weak arms." _

"You can brag about your fencing skills all day, but that won't make you any less slight and tiny."

"Being tall poses nothing but a handicap in life," Jongdae countered, but it came a tad too late. Chanyeol grinned.

"Hmhm. Keep telling yourself that, shortie. Maybe one day, you'll believe it."

Chanyeol could tell even in the light of the street lamps that nobody had ever dared calling the son of the Kims a  _ shortie.  _ It was both hilarious and immensely satisfying to watch the look of mild incredulousness on the other's face.

After that, Jongdae announced that he was tired of Chanyeol, and also that he didn't want to be seen with him, so he picked up the pace, leaving Chanyeol behind (who, admittedly, was in no condition to even try and catch up to him).

Glad over the much needed solitude, Chanyeol strolled down the street, slowing his steps down to enjoy the crisp night air. For some reason, the image of Jongdae bowing to him earlier wouldn't leave his mind though.

It had been more of a nod than anything, but Chanyeol was still weirded out.

Having the kid of the highest noble family in the country bow to him, a very lowly commoner, was weird.

Nobles were weird.

Jongdae was weird.  
  


* * *

  
  


On the second day, after a fair amount of repeating the previous exercise, Jongdae taught him how to pick up a sword after getting disarmed. On the third and last day, he taught him nothing, but instead let Chanyeol try and  _ not  _ get to the stage of needing to get back to his feet in time. His success was mixed, at best, and by the time all the first years gathered on the field on a sunny Friday morning, he could still say that he'd never ever actually landed a hit on someone. Fighting Jongdae had been like battling a wall, and even if Chanyeol felt vaguely familiar with his style by now, that didn't mean he had even the slightest chance of outsmarting him.

Still, he felt prepared. As prepared as he could get at least.

Though his muscles were indeed aching with every move. It only made him go through his warm ups a little more aggressively.

"Chanyeol?"

With a questioning hum, he looked up to see his other dormmates gathered around Jongin. He was waving with something that he offered to a confused Chanyeol.

"Here."

It was a bracelet, clearly handmade. At first glance, Chanyeol thought it was made using very small, black orbs, but the polished, round stones felt nothing but smooth under his fingertips. They were strung on a thin, red strap of leather that was strung and knotted in a foreign-looking way.

"They're a traditional lucky charm," Jongin explained with a shy smile, showing off his own bracelet. Everyone had apparently received one, and while the stones remained the same, the leather strips were all of different colors - yellow for Luhan, a dark green for Jongdae, brown for Yifan, and Jongin's own one was violet. The last one in his hand was orange, and he was currently scurrying off to hand it over to Yixing, who was warming himself up among a group of nobles.

"Fraternizing with the enemy, I see how it is," Luhan joked, but Chanyeol was too busy taking in the beautiful piece of handiwork.

"I didn't know Jongin could do stuff like that. A lucky charm, huh?"

"It's kind of a big deal to highlanders," Yifan surprisingly spoke up, turning his wrist to watch the stones catch the sunlight. "They usually make matching jewelry for family members or very close friends. Though back in the day, they were also worn among warriors of the same tribe."

Chanyeol hummed, looking at the neat, intricate knots encasing the stones. It was almost too pretty to wear it, but since everyone else did - Jongdae included - Chanyeol put it around his left wrist just in time for instructor Park to gather them all with a sharp whistle.

He had every team determine a leader, before randomly assigning opponents.

It came to no one's surprise that most teams consisted either of nobles or commoners, hardly ever mixing it up. Chanyeol felt a little guilty over the pang of relief he felt upon realizing that their first opponent was a team of commoners. They faced each other in one on one battles, with the leaders deciding who would fight against whom. Surprisingly enough, Luhan turned out to be the perfect choice for a leader. He assigned them like a chess player moving pieces, and Chanyeol was half-way convinced that it was his thanks to his quick thinking that they won against the first team.    
It sure wasn't thanks to  _ him, _ at least. Chanyeol lost the first battle, and the one after that as well. None of his team members seemed mad at him, which was somewhat comforting. Though he could hear Jongdae's voice inside his head, telling him that  _ disappointment could only grow where expectations were sowed...  _ or something like that. For once, they were both too focused to verbally strangle each other though - Jongdae was observing the matches with rapt attention, no doubt analyzing their movements, while Chanyeol pretended to do the same.

He lost his third match as well, but this time, he at least put up a decent fight. Ironically enough, fighting nobles came easier to him than facing commoners. Even the scrawniest-looking noble had skills far exceeding Chanyeol's, but their movements tended to be similar to Jongdae's. And Chanyeol was starting to become familiar with the elements of traditional court fencing - though none of his opponents came close to matching Jongdae's fluidity, which both worked in Chanyeol's advantage and also made for attacks that caught him off guard entirely.

It was one of those moves that led to a sword just barely poking his chest, deciding his third battle.

Chanyeol was dejected for sure, especially considering that their team pulled through despite his constant failures. Sure, seeing Jongdae come out on top every single time was somewhat expected, but Jongin and Yifan weren't too bad either, and Luhan won at least every second battle.

Like that, they made it to the semi finale of their little tournament, which was already somewhat mind-blowing to Chanyeol, and the fact that they were up against Huang Zitao's team next made him nervous. When he realized that none other than Yixing was part of their team, as well, he was seriously doubting they even stood a chance. After all, he'd seen Yixing in action during their training sessions - the other had insisted that swords weren't his forte, but his moves suggested otherwise.

Zitao was smiling - grinning, really - and he seemed so eager and confident that Chanyeol would be envious if he wasn't busy scowling in distaste.

A tossed coin later, Zitao’s team had the advantage of choosing the first opponent - a short, slender brunette wearing a pony tail and a rather lively expression for a noble.

Luhan stood there with his arms crossed, tapping his fingers once. And twice.

"Chanyeol."

Being by far the weakest, Chanyeol had gotten used to going first, but considering how tiny this girl was compared to him, it didn't feel like a befitting match. Though to be fair, the only somewhat short person in their team was Jongdae, and he'd obviously go last.

He got into position, already seeing himself ending up in the dirt - he wasn't used to fighting girls, especially not tiny ones, and right now, he had to agree that his height felt more of a disadvantage than anything.

Just as expected, the girl was fast, though not nearly as fast as Jongdae. Her movements weren't that fluid either, but still hard to predict. Chanyeol was too busy blocking them to even consider trying to fight back. She kept attacking him, dealing out relentless, sharp blows that had the wooden swords meet with resounding cracks, slowly but surely driving him back - and then Chanyeol fell for a fake out. It happened too fast for regret to settle in, and the sword was knocked out of his hands. Body memory took over as Chanyeol threw himself to the side, narrowly escaping her next swipe to grab his sword without looking, lifting it just in time to block her next hit. The impact wasn't very harsh, but he could tell she had used all her force - which made it easy for Chanyeol to press back, sending her tumbling to the ground as he stood up. In a split second, it was over - Chanyeol was the one pointing the sword at her, the distance overly safe, but still a clear win.

She lifted her hands in defeat, before getting back up and dusting her clothes off with a pout. Chanyeol just stood there like an idiot until Jongin called him back.

"You won! Good job, Chanyeol!"

He blinked. Looked towards Jongdae - their eyes met, if only for a split second - and then back at Jongin.

He really had won. Huh.

There was barely any time to bask in the sudden, happy turn of events, because soon after, Jongin lost a fight to what appeared to be a seasoned swordfighter. And after that, Luhan stepped forward himself, only to lose against another female noble.

"Yixing will be next," Zitao announced, the smug grin still very much in place.

They all looked towards Luhan, even though the choice was obvious. In fact, Yifan was already straightening himself, about to step forward when Luhan shook his head.

"Jongdae will take this one," he decided. Zitao was visibly disappointed, and the rest of the team reacted with various amounts of disbelief. Yifan, in particular, seemed distraught over the idea of having to fight the deciding battle against Zitao, of all people.

Even Jongdae hesitated, and for a moment, Chanyeol thought he'd question the other's decision.

In the end he stepped forward though, going so far as to exchange a small smile with Yixing, before they lunged into the most intense battle Chanyeol had seen that day. Even during their training sessions, Yixing and Jongdae hadn't faced each other yet, and he wondered whether that had been a deciding factor for Luhan.

Either way, this was a pure match in the court fencing style. It was clear that they were both trained in that area, clear by how clean and strangely beautiful the battle looked. Having two people play by the exact same rules made for a graceful, elegant picture. It was enrapturing, and both of them seemed so focused that he couldn't picture anything interrupting their flow.

Then Jongdae made a particularly flowy, strange move Chanyeol hadn't seen before, and within a flash, he was much closer to Yixing, swords meeting once more. Jongdae used the leverage to tip Yixing off balance, somehow using the grip of his own sword and a well-placed leg to not only tip Yixing off balance, but also knock the sword out of his hand.

He didn't even attempt to point his sword at him after that - Yixing had lost, and he knew it. He was a good sport about it, actually complimenting Jongdae, who helped him back up again. Chanyeol couldn't help lingering on the action, thinking back to the way Jongdae had offered him his hand as well.

Behind them, Zitao was seething.

"Make way," he ordered, and something about the way he talked to Yixing didn't sit right with Chanyeol. Still, Yixing stepped aside and so did Jongdae, making room for Yifan, who looked mildly constipated.

Luhan clapped his back with unnecessary force.

"You can do it!"

It was equal parts hilarious and sad how terrified Yifan looked. He did try to hide it, but having shared a dorm with him for a few weeks now made it quite obvious to Chanyeol that the other would rather force his large body under his own bed to hide instead of facing a noble of this rank in battle. Or fighting the deciding match for their team, for that matter.

"Don't worry," he began, opting for a casual, optimistic tone. "He's just an annoying brat. Kick his ass."

His words seemed to have the opposite effect, and Yifan grimaced. When he stood before Zitao, waiting for the acting referee to start the battle, he looked about ready to throw up.

Chanyeol nudged Luhan, trying to keep his voice down.

"Why did you think this was a good idea again?"

Luhan didn't take his eyes off the two as the battle began, and Zitao immediately charged forward, clearly fueled by angry determination.

"Because Yifan would have lost to Yixing, but he has a chance against Zitao," was all he said.

Chanyeol thought about it, tried to see it, really, but with little success.

"Because he's experienced with a sword, but was never trained in traditional ways," Jongdae suddenly stated rather than suggested, sounding closer to the answer than Chanyeol felt.

"He mentioned that his mothers have an orbal factory, focusing on weaponry that he's used to testing," Luhan agreed. Jongdae blinked.

"Is that so?"

"His body type is also naturally broader than Zitao's, who's rather stringy, and he matches him in height. He's also on the sturdy, steady end of things, so Zitao's exotic, swirly nonsense shouldn't topple him that easily," Luhan added, all the while keeping his eyes on the sparring couple, bottom lip sucked between his teeth.

His analysis sounded very thoughtful, and it made Chanyeol wonder about his reasonings for setting him up with the girl earlier. Did he know about his and Jongdae's sparring sessions?    
Either way, as nice as his thought process sounded on paper, and as much as Chanyeol was impressed by the other's observation skills... there was one thing he'd conveniently forgotten about.

"He's never gonna win."

Luhan shot him an offended look, but Chanyeol couldn't apologize for something that hadn't been mean-spirited in the first place. It was a simple observation of his own.

"Look," he said with a shrug, just as Zitao was pushed back by a rare, but well-timed attack, leaving him open, but Zitao recovered in time. Or so it would seem. Chanyeol had seen it though, and his theory was fully proven when Yifan once again had Zitao stumble back due to blunt force, aiming for the other's chest... only to stop. He just stopped, and within a second, the tables were turned and Zitao was pointing the sword at his throat with a triumphant expression, effectively scoring a win for his team.

Luhan groaned.

"No! We were so  _ close!" _

"Close to not being an embarrassment," Zitao had the nerve to quip, and Chanyeol would love to toss the swords aside to deliver an old-fashioned punch to his face.

"He clearly let you win! Don't act even more stupid than you already are," he began, unable to hold himself back.

"He  _ let me win?  _ How old are you again? Five?" Zitao asked in a faux display of pity, "show some dignity and accept defeat."

"Well, if I find someone to teach me about dignity, I'll recommend them to you," Chanyeol countered, feeling the anger bubble up. "Being smug about a win that's not earned-"

"Chanyeol, stop," Yifan muttered, not quite meeting his eye. "He won. I didn't stand a chance."

With that, he stepped back, mumbling something about being back in a bit. Chanyeol didn't consider himself done with the other but the arrogant prick and his noble posse (plus Yixing) were whisked away to conduct the final match.

As they were watching the battles take place, it was Jongdae's nasal voice ripping him out of his angry musings.

"I can't believe you actually won a match."

Chanyeol sighed.

"Are you about to stroke your own ego now? Cause you can't take this from me," he deadpanned.

Jongdae huffed.

"Please. I am not that insecure. Just take it as an inspiration to pay me back accordingly."

Chanyeol shot him an exasperated look.

"You're the worst."

"No,  _ you  _ were," Jongdae corrected him. "I already possess average skills when it comes to using orbs, so you better not waste my time with mediocre tips."

"Well, it takes two for a successful training session, so you better work hard to keep up," Chanyeol snapped, wondering why the other had even bothered talking to him in the first place.

"Likewise," was all Jongdae said, and then they watched Zitao's team go up against a team entirely made up of commoners. They watched the tiny girl Chanyeol had battled earlier and this time, she won her match, which gave Chanyeol a small pang of satisfaction - since it meant he really hadn't been terrible earlier - but it turned to disappointment really quickly when Yixing lost his match against a girl who was clearly trained in some form of swordsmanship.

Of course Yixing took his loss with grace and a friendly compliment on his lips - Chanyeol hadn't expected anything less from him.

The deciding match was between Zitao and a tall girl, who was nothing but slender and almost fragile-looking, with her long, dusty brown hair bound in a ponytail. It was a harmless assessment, and one that Chanyeol had no time to reevaluate because within seconds, it was obvious that she would win. Her movements spoke of years of experience, and her style was purposeful and accurate, but definitely different from the traditional noble training. Next to her, Zitao looked young and impulsive, rash and flimsy. Chanyeol was so impressed that he forgot to gloat about Zitao losing, too enraptured in a battle that didn't last all that long. Within less than two minutes, she had Zitao on his back.

Instructor Park declared the team of commoners the winners, and began making his rounds to give every team detailed feedback on their performance - no doubt hammering home the fact that they were still inexperienced kids flinging around wooden sticks.

"Well, we didn't win, but at least that prick didn't win either," Luhan muttered in a surprising flash of pettiness. Chanyeol couldn't fault him. Not only had he been condescending towards Yifan, simply because he knew he could trample all over him with no resistance, no, he was also a terrible winner  _ and  _ a terrible loser - even having scored second place didn't seem enough to satisfy him, judging by his current temper tantrum. Chanyeol would have looked on with a satisfied smile, if his anger wasn't so focused on Yixing.

"You lost almost every battle. What do they teach you in Ymir?"

Of course, Yixing responded with nothing but a thin smile.

"It's true. I still have a lot to learn."

Zitao groaned in frustration, running his hand through his hair before tossing his sword at Yixing.

"Go maintain the swords," he snapped moodily, and to Chanyeol's horror, the other team members also handed their swords to Yixing, who was  _ still  _ smiling, but there was something strained about it, and Chanyeol hated it.

He really, really hated it.

And because he was Chanyeol, he couldn't keep his mouth shut about it.

_ "What is your problem?" _

Zitao's scowl was directed at him next, but neither that nor the faint "Chanyeol, no-" was able to stop him from stomping over to them.

"He fought on your team and he did his best, and this is how you thank him? Why would anyone even  _ want  _ to be on your team?"

"This is none of your business-" Zitao began, but once Chanyeol talked himself into a rage, it needed more to stop him.

"What makes you think you're in any way better than Yixing? Is it your family name? Because if I remember correctly, you just lost the deciding match fair and square. Yixing is not your punching bag-"

"How  _ dare  _ you?" Zitao hissed, taking a step towards Chanyeol as well, looking like he was itching to punch him. "How dare you talk to me like that?"

"Like you're a shitty human being? Don't worry, I think everybody noticed by now," Chanyeol replied, throwing up his hands in exasperation.

Next thing he knew, Zitao had gripped his collar.

"It's time for you to accept your place," he stated through gritted teeth. "You are just a nobody from a dorm made for leftovers, overseen by a sad excuse of an instructor-"

"Instructor Do isn't a bad teacher," Yixing cut in, speaking up for the first time. Zitao let go of Chanyeol to glare at Yixing instead.

"Like he taught you anything. Though if I think about it, having him be your dorm's homeroom teacher is all-too befitting. You're all just peas in a pod, aren't you? At the end of the day, it's us making the decisions you'll be grateful for-"

Chanyeol lunged at him, and tackled Zitao to the ground.

He couldn't remember the last time he had been in a brawl, much less initiated one, but right now, he wanted nothing more than to punch the other until he stopped talking-

Someone ripped him back, yelling at him to get his shit together before the instructor could catch them, but Chanyeol didn't care. Zitao was in the wrong, and nothing would change his mind, nothing would stop him from viewing someone as wonderful as Yixing as dirt under his shoes, and he  _ hated  _ it-

"Yixing."

Chanyeol's struggles ebbed down at the familiar, arrogant voice coming from behind him. Apparently, Jongdae had walked over to them at some point.

Chanyeol was still sitting in the dust, with Zitao being pulled to his feet by one of his team members. He looked slightly roughed up, with his messy hair and the specks of dirt tainting his pristine, white uniform.

There was a certain surprise on Yixing’s face, and it took Chanyeol a moment to understand the reason for that. Jongdae had never called him by his first name in public.

"Are any of these people bothering you?"

The question came out even, almost saccharine by Jongdae's standards, and a confused look over his shoulder and up only confirmed that Jongdae's expression was blank, but at the same time sharp. Like a knife hidden beneath a blanket.

Yixing blinked, fleetingly glancing over his team members.

And Zitao, who had looked oh so confident the entire time, was looking  _ nervous  _ now. All of them were, really. Even Chanyeol, who was utterly hopeless when it came to noble etiquette, could see what was going on - Jongdae had implied that he was close to Yixing and having other nobles bully him would in turn put them on the bad side of the Kim family.

Chanyeol understood and maybe he was starting to understand Yixing a little better as well, for the other hesitated, but ultimately smiled. Gratefully.

"No," he said, and Jongdae hummed.

"That's good to hear. I will be taking a break until the instructor finds time for us. Why don't you join me?"

For a moment, Chanyeol thought Yixing would deny, but he carefully handed the swords back to their owners, who didn't even meet his eye as he did so.

Without a word, Jongdae offered his hand to Chanyeol.

This time, he took it, staying a step behind everyone else as they walked towards the nearby shade of the training hall.

Just a few minutes earlier, he would have refused for sure, would have felt insulted that the other thought he needed assistance. Now, though, he just felt disappointed and useless.    
He could stand up, complain, argue and even fight, but at the end of the day, only nobles could stand up to nobles. He felt powerless.

And Jongdae? Jongdae could make change happen with nothing but a few words. All he had to do was actually want something, and voice it out for it to happen.

It... wasn't fair.

"What's with that face?" Jongdae inquired, not even sparing him a glance. "You should be grateful you won a single match."

Chanyeol was about to tell him to shut up, when something caught his eye. Or rather someone did.

"Oh."

Confused, Jongdae followed his glance only to find instructor Do leaning against the hall with his arms crossed, looking grumpy as usual. Had he heard their earlier discourse?

"Instructor? Is something the matter?" Jongin asked right away, looking downright worried.

"You should all take a good, long look at yourself before worrying about others," he sighed, something unreadable to his tone. "I'm just here to talk to instructor Park."

As they all got settled, with Jongin finally retrieving Yifan from wherever the other had run off to, Luhan muttered something about being shocked to see their instructor out in the sunlight. Chanyeol cracked a small smile. He had a lot on his mind but for the time being, he just leaned back and accepted the icy cold water bottle handed to him by Jongin. He didn't even have the will or energy to deal with Jongdae's smug attitude, so he pretended not to notice the way the other kept throwing glances at him.   
All the while, Instructor Do stood nearby, neither talking nor leaving.

  
  


* * *

  
  


The next morning, Chanyeol scuffled into the kitchen with his eyes barely open and hair a mess. He didn't get it at first, assumed that next to Yixing, Yifan was standing at the kitchen isle, hunched over or something. Blinking away the sleep, however, revealed no other than instructor Do. He was talking to Yixing in a low voice, apparently showing him how to properly cut a fish. Chanyeol blinked some more, but the image stayed.

"Oh, Chanyeol," Yixing claimed, sounding terribly awake as per usual. "You're early."

The instructor shot him a quick glance, before going back to work.

For a moment, he stared at the two people preparing breakfast for what couldn't be the first time.

"Morning, instructor," he said eventually, way too late.

Instructor Do shot him a curt nod in response, and with his arms on the table, Chanyeol dozed off once more to the faint sound of chopping and talking that was oddly soothing.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're probably wondering how anyone learning fencing would even do well in a fight using swords, but... it's game lore, I swear! *haha*  
> I'm just generously assuming traditional court fencing is not /100%/ the same thing we call fencing today. Or rather that they're also taught how to use swords with similar methods. Idk man, it all made sense in my head, I have nothing more to defend myself!
> 
> As per usual, I'm quite attached to every single character, so if any of them catches your interest, let me know and they'll get some spotlight next, promise.  
> I've thought way too long about the chapter title, but I feel like this chapter is like a small insight into a lot of characters, and in my head, I found myself sorting them into these three categories. It's probably obvious to guess them *haha*
> 
> Also, for those wondering - Chanyeol's tiny opponent was Wendy, and the girl beating Zitao's ass was Krystal. Cause, yanno. Why not. She's badass.


	6. Grass Stains

People liked to look down on the third dorm, but honestly? Chanyeol quite liked it. After all, they had copious amounts of room to share between no more than seven people. Not like he had an issue being around people, but it was actually quite refreshing to return to a somewhat calm dorm after a busy day at the academy.

The kitchen and bathroom were always free, as well.

Mostly free, that is.

"You've never heard of the concept of knocking, have you?"

Chanyeol grimaced at the sight of Jongdae wearing nothing but a towel, obviously getting ready to shower.

"Last time I checked this wasn't your room," he sighed, making his way past him and towards the little shelf with fresh towels. "Though I might be wrong, considering how much time you spend here."

Behind him, he heard Jongdae sigh.

"It's called hygiene. You should give that concept a chance."

Chanyeol shrugged out of his sleep wear, keeping his back to Jongdae.

"I'd call it a waste of water," he yawned. "Just admit that you're part fish."

It was silly, of course, because the dorm was sleek and modern, equipped with high class orbs and filters resulting in a steady supply of hot and cold water. Luckily enough, Chanyeol had a follow up in mind already, not giving him enough time for a reaction.

"You still wanna practice using fire orbs?" he asked over his shoulder, if only to enjoy the way Jongdae's eyes flit to the door immediately. They were alone though, with the sound of a running shower being their only company.

"Why, were you going to take back on your promise?" he asked, clearly playing down his insecurity as he stepped under the shower (the one farthest away from Chanyeol).

Sometimes, Jongdae reminded him of a cat. The kind that tripped over their own feet and then proceeded to lick its paws to pretend the embarrassment had never even happened. Yes, he definitely had the arrogance of a cat.

Chanyeol had always been a dog person.

He snorted.

"Like I'm gonna pass up on the opportunity to see you struggle for once in your life."

It had come out just a tad meaner than intended, probably fueled by the lingering memory of last Saturday, where he'd so easily helped out Yixing in ways Chanyeol couldn't.

"Ah, this must be the lower class humility I have heard so much about," Jongdae commented, and Chanyeol could hear him roll his eyes, but before he could even consider a response, the bathroom door opened.

They both turned in unison, and Chanyeol caught sight of Yifan, who had frozen in his tracks, eyes flickering away from Jongdae and to the ground, a bunch of clothes in one hand.

After a second of awkward silence, Yifan seemed to change his mind and left the room again. Chanyeol shrugged to himself - in his books, that was a justified reaction to seeing Jongdae, really. A pretty Yifan-like move, too.

"Anyway," he began, turning back towards the shower to start shampooing his hair. "Meet me at the engineering club after class tomorrow. I thought of something that might work."

"Sure."

Jongdae didn't say a word after that, leaving Chanyeol to stare at the tiles in confusion.    
He left first, too, taking much less time than he usually did.

* * *

By now, a certain routine was starting to settle in. Getting up, eating breakfast with the others, attending class, and studying or attending club meetings in the afternoon. And despite the year having barely begun, Chanyeol could already tell that neglecting his studies would be fatal - he was still keeping up rather well, but it was obvious that this school was living up to its reputation of a steep curriculum, with complex themes and assignments thrown their way at a quick pace.

Which was why Chanyeol had already taken to the habit of bringing his studying materials with him wherever he went, just in case he found himself with a bit of free time. He could only hope his diligence would last a while longer but as of now, he could feel productive as he mentally went over a row of combat tactic terms while he relaxed inside the engineering building. Sure, studying worked best in silent environments but sometimes, Chanyeol appreciated the lively chatter and sounds of people tinkering around him.

He looked up from his messy sketches of battle formations to check the clock. Jongdae was late. He should have arrived at least half an hour ago-

struck by a sudden thought, he rose to his feet, leaving his study utensils behind as he crossed the room, heading for the door.

Just as expected, Jongdae was outside, standing by a wall without actually leaning against it - no doubt keeping his uniform in mind - an unfamiliar book in his hands.

Chanyeol resisted the urge to groan.

"There you are. How long were you planning on standing there?"

There was a tiny, annoyed tick flashing over Jongdae's expression as he was ripped out of his book, but it quickly dissipated... into a very familiar shade of exasperation.

"You were the one suggesting this meet up point. Unlike you, I do not waltz into other people's spaces like I own them."

Chanyeol rolled his eyes.

"Sounds like a lie, but sure," he muttered, downplaying the fact that he did feel a little dumb for not checking earlier. The moment they stepped inside the large, glorified shed that was the engineering club, people immediately glanced their way, no doubt lingering on Jongdae.    
Suddenly, him waiting outside seemed a little more reasonable. Chanyeol had been delighted over the absence of nobles in the engineering club, and he still was, really; not to mention that seeing Jongdae be the outsider for once should be satisfying. So why wasn't it?    
Probably because Chanyeol was proud of this club and the idea of anyone being even mildly uncomfortable in this space was ridiculous and wrong to him. Either way, there was no rule against bringing visitors, so Chanyeol gestured to the empty table.

"Wait here. I'll be right back."

Unlike his previous statement, Jongdae did hold himself like he owned the place, but he cut back on the snark and simply nodded, taking a seat. Seeing him so pliant was weird. The entire situation was mildly confusing to Chanyeol. If he were to step into a noble salon, he'd definitely not hold back on any account, and nobles tended to show active scorn instead of the passive curiosity of the other club members.

He shook his head. This wasn't about teaching Jongdae humility or convincing him of the equality of all people. This was about fire orbs.

He'd already prepared the device he was now plucking off a shelf.

"I'm borrowing this today, okay?"

Of course Minseok had been pretty much the only one to not notice Jongdae's presence. He was too busy lying on a sheet of tarp, awkwardly angled to fiddle with the downside of their prized possession - one of the very few prototypes of an orbal bike. Only when Chanyeol appeared in the corner of his limited vision - careful not to block the light - did he squint up at him.

"Hm?"

"I'm borrowing the orbal measurement device," Chanyeol repeated, ignoring the way some of the seniors were staring over to where Jongdae must be sitting.

Minseok blinked, wiping sweat (and smearing dirt) over his forehead.

"The small one?"

"Of course - I know you'll need the other for the bike."

That was evidently everything MInseok had wanted to hear - his eyes were already back on the wires.

"Sure. Don't break it."

"I would never."

Chanyeol smiled.    
He really liked Minseok. Minseok didn't care about status or background or age. All he cared about was machinery, passion for machinery, and anything even remotely related to that. If only everyone was like Minseok-

Chanyeol's thoughts came to a screeching halt when he found Jongdae bend over his study materials, a pen in hand.

"What- are you doing there?" he pressed out, crossing the room in few, long strides. Jongdae didn't even blink.

"Correcting your notes," he drawled out, every trace of his previous politeness gone. "Your listening comprehension clearly leaves much to be desired. Not like that's new-"

"Shut  _ up,"  _ Chanyeol whined, ripping his notes away from under Jongdae's fingers, ending up with a comically long, black line. "Who asked  _ you? _ If I need help for studying, I'll ask Yixing. Or Luhan. Or Yifan- just, you know. Anyone  _ but  _ you, actually."

Jongdae had the nerve to shrug, calmly putting the cap back on the fountain pen. 

"There's really no need to highlight the fact that  _ anyone  _ exceeds you when it comes to studies."

Chanyeol was about to retort when he noticed the way people were  _ still  _ watching them, and ultimately bit his lip. They weren't here to fight, and he felt like the others would... misinterpret their idea of a  _ semi-friendly  _ conversation, maybe even try to kick Jongdae out, and he wouldn't want to see through that drama.

"Anyway," he said, slow and determined, holding up the measuring board. "Let's do this outside. I can't stand you without fresh air."

It wasn't a lie but mostly, Chanyeol wanted to go somewhere private. Jongdae had trained him in private as well, so it was only fair. Besides, he doubted the other would be able to focus in such an unfamiliar, noisy environment. He was too much of a spoiled noble boy, having probably grown up with perfectly silent, private rooms to study in.

Jongdae followed without a fuss, only further emphasizing how Chanyeol was the one in charge this time, and that he better deliver  _ something. _

Weird.

Shrugging it off, he walked around the shed until he found a suitable spot. Nestled between the windowless side of the shed and a high wall, passerbies were very unlikely to see or hear them. He flopped into the grass, and after a second of hesitation, Jongdae followed suit - in a much more deliberate, dignified swoop, complete with an expression of distaste.   
Chanyeol couldn’t help himself.

"Is the ground too dirty for our highness?"

Jongdae didn't even bother glaring at him as he fixed his bangs.

"And this is the reason you're not the one wearing white."

Chanyeol snorted.

"Yeah, sure," he waved him off, wriggling around until he was comfortable, "the reason's classicism, and dressing the  _ more important  _ people in white cause they won't have to get their hands dirty, anyway."

"Like you'd wear it exactly like your grass-colored uniform," Jongdae commented, but Chanyeol hadn't really been into this conversation, anyway, too busy fiddling with the board in his hands.

"You know what this is?" he asked instead, flipping it over to show it to Jongdae, who leaned forward ever so slightly, clearly trying to figure out what he was looking at. The board was rather flat, not any thicker than two of Chanyeol's fingers, and longer than a piece of paper, albeit less wide. While the bottom could be opened to display an overwhelming amount of flips and switches to configure it, the top only showed indents for orbs to be inserted, as well as connection lines and light scales, with varying standard outputs framing the outer end. It was basic stuff for Chanyeol, but from the tick of insecurity flitting over Jongdae's expression, he had absolutely no idea what he was looking at.

"No," was all he ultimately said, flat and simple, with no implication of impatience or defensiveness.

"It's an orbal measurement device," Chanyeol explained. "It... measures orbal energy."

Jongdae gave him a blank look.

"Don't look at me like that, you want technical details?" Chanyeol asked.

The other actually sighed.

"Why did I agree to this," he murmured, more to himself than anything, and while having someone insult his study notes was one thing, Chanyeol wasn't having this lack of faith in him when it came to technology this simple.

"We did things your way last time,” he said firmly. “Now zip it and listen."

Jongdae didn't look convinced, but he did keep his mouth shut, shooting him a look that spoke of low expectations. Good enough.

"To put it simply, you insert normed orbs onto the board, and you add the proper counter set here," Chanyeol began, flipping open a small hatch to display a row of five blue orbs. "In our case, that means water orbs only. Then you can hook this up to a machine, and this board measures how much energy is pulled out of these orbs. It's a very common device to make sure devices operate smoothly and pull an equal, measured amount of energy from the orbs. It's absolutely safe since the counter set of water orbs is there to ground them."

Jongdae nodded once, eyes on the board as Chanyeol inserted a row of simple fire orbs.

"And you want me to use it to improve my energy flow," he stated rather than asked, but Chanyeol shook his head.

"Nah. First of all, I want you to just use it. Not like I can help you if I don't know  _ what  _ you're having trouble with."

Clearly unhappy with the wording, Jongdae sat up straighter, waiting for Chanyeol to check the board one last time.

"Seeing as I'm not an orbal hairdryer, I'm not sure how you intend to  _ plug  _ me into this thing."

Chanyeol placed the device on the ground between them, completely undeterred.

"It'll be fine. I mean, there's no reason it shouldn't be. Just use your hands to activate the orbs directly."

Jongdae seemed very much unconvinced but he placed his fingertips on the orbs, anyway. Chanyeol didn't have to ask to know that he'd grown up with piano lessons - it was somehow evident from how he placed his hands.

"How much?" he asked, and Chanyeol shrugged.

"Just try to get a feel for it."

He saw the orbs glow, and the light scale flickered to life, showing a minimum of energy being pulled.

"More," Chanyeol muttered, and the scale began to climb, red lights steadily growing, only to stop again.

"You can go all out, I told you it's safe-"

"I am," Jongdae cut him off, sounding strained and annoyed. Chanyeol blinked.

"Oh. Okay then. Try alternating between them. Just play around a little."

If Jongdae was waiting for him to make a snarky comment he was out of luck; Chanyeol was entirely focused on the board and watching his fingers tapping into the orbs one by one, dancing over them like a pianist trying to work an instrument with sticky keys. There was certainly a strain to it, one that was very untypical for the oh-so-perfect noble boy, but Chanyeol didn't comment on it until he was absolutely certain of what he was looking at.

"Okay, okay," he muttered, and Jongdae halted immediately, fingers hovering over the orbs.

"Now just one. Pull as much as you can."

The scale still only lit up a third of the way, and Chanyeol hummed in understanding.

"Okay, I got it now. You're weak."

At the sight of Jongdae's somewhat confrontational expression, he hurried to elaborate before the other could cut him off.

"Your pull is weak," he added. "You're not able to get much out of the orbs. Which, in turn means that if you strain and force it, your balance is bound to be tipped."

He turned the board around to place his own finger on one of the orbs, feeling it prickle to life. He kept going until the scale was filled to the half.

"This is the level most students here move on, I'd say."

He let go a little, until it dropped to a third again.

"And you're somewhere around here-"

"If you're trying to make me feel incompetent-" Jongdae began, but Chanyeol only clicked his tongue.

"Nah, I'm just explaining what happened during the lesson back then. You've been trying to do things that require  _ this-" _

He pulled out enough energy to fill the bar to three quarters.

"-but you only had  _ this  _ to work with."

Back down to a third.

"Which means that the main thing you want to work on is increase your pull," Chanyeol ended calmly. When he looked up, Jongdae's eyes were resting on him instead of the board. Before he could call him out on not listening though, Jongdae blinked, snapping back into it.

"And how do I do that?" he half-demanded.

Chanyeol leaned back, slumping a little in a way that he knew wasn't healthy, but made up for it in comfort.

"Well, I don't have to tell you that every element requires a different kind of approach."

"A steady mind for earth orbs, flexible for air," Jongdae rattled down, "controlled mind for water, and no control for fire."

"Yeap. You just kind of answered your own question," Chanyeol shrugged. "You gotta loosen up a little."

When Jongdae only shot him an unimpressed look, he sighed.

"Okay, look. I'm not trying to step on your toes here, but you're obviously repressing yourself in probably  _ every  _ way I could think of. It's actually not much of a surprise that you have issues tapping into fire orbs."

"I am not repressing anything right now - aside from the urge to make you eat grass," Jongdae retorted snidely.

"Could have fooled me..." Chanyeol muttered. This was testing his patience but he  _ had  _ agreed to tutoring Jongdae, and if the other gave up now, it would make Chanyeol feel like a failure. He was definitely not going to lose to the other’s stubbornness. So he took a deep breath and patted the board between them.

"...but you can’t fool the orbs. And if you intend to get better at using them, you’ll wanna loosen up."

Jongdae crossed his arms, looking all kinds of defiant.

"What do you want, for me to clown around and make a fool out of myself?"

"Being less repressed has nothing to do with being loud and obnoxious," Chanyeol argued. "After all, Yifan and Yixing are pretty good at handling fire orbs and you don't see them waltzing around and yelling their every thought. It simply means to be in tune with yourself."

"How does that stand in contrast to being in control?" Jongdae asked without missing a beat, and Chanyeol hesitated. Not because he was doubting himself, but because Jongdae genuinely didn't seem to understand and he had no idea how to explain it properly.    
Handling fire orbs was something that came natural to Chanyeol. He'd be the first one to agree that a little more control would have prevented him from getting into many sticky situations in the past, but he also knew that he wouldn't have it any other way.

Chanyeol just was who he was, and he felt what he felt, and it was something so natural that the concept of someone not being able to just  _ do  _ that was hard to grasp.

"You don't...  _ want  _ to control everything at all times," he began slowly, still looking for words. "That is, you want to, but you don't want to disregard its existence. Yes. The goal is to accept and be aware of yourself."

It was a pretty good explanation in his books but Jongdae only lightly shook his head.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he admitted, evidently close to locking up and walking away when Chanyeol had an idea.

"You know what? You should join Jongin's morning exercises!" he burst out, suddenly very excited over having thought of this.

"Excuse me?"

"You know, the stretching and dancing thing he does in the morning," he elaborated, leaning back on his hands. With the way Jongdae was looking at him, he really believed the other would love to push his face into the grass right about now.

"How are morning stretches going to make my mind operate differently?"

Chanyeol shrugged.

"I asked him about it before and he said it's a cultural thing that's at least as much of a mind exercise as it is a physical one. I don't know, I got a feeling that it might help."

_ "I don't know, I got a feeling,"  _ Jongdae echoed blankly, judgement dripping from every syllable. "This is a waste of time-"

"Your method of teaching me swordsmanship included kicking me into the dust for hours on end," Chanyeol cut him off. "You can handle a bit of a morning exercise."

"I never said anything about not being able to  _ handle  _ it-"

"Then do it. I'm the tutor now, and I'm telling you to do it-"

"Aren't you just delegating your tutoring to someone else now-"

"Chanyeol?"

Their heads flew around to see none other than Yifan stand there, evidently drawn in by their noisy bickering. At the sight of Jongdae, confusion and apprehension flickered over Yifan's face. It was almost comical how the mere sight of him changed Yifan's posture, turning it slightly more rigid.

"Oh. Hey," Chanyeol began, fully turning towards him with the intent of drowning out any question the other might have about their unusual set up. "What are you up to? Need something maintained?"

Yifan hovered there, radiating awkwardness.

"Uh, no. Just. Stopping by to test the bike cause someone asked me to. I didn't mean to interrupt… whatever this is."

Chanyeol felt the heat rise to his cheeks immediately. Of course someone would catch them in the act. Being seen with Jongdae was kind of embarrassing. After all, he didn't want anyone to think they were friends or anything.

"You weren't interrupting at all," he announced with utter certainty. "We were just, you know. Arguing."

Yifan nodded slowly, looking all kinds of doubtful, while Jongdae seemed to have developed a sudden interest in the board again, where he trailed a finger over the orbs.

"Okay," Yifan muttered, still nodding to himself. "Uhm. Good luck with that."   
“Thanks.”

Chanyeol smiled - a little too wide, maybe - watching Yifan leave.

He counted to ten in his head before deflating.

"Phew. So much for that. Anyway, I'd say-" he began, cutting himself off the moment he saw the red lights on the board. They showed a higher level of energy than earlier. Jongdae had apparently not even listened to him, opting to stare at the orbs instead, wearing an unreadable expression.

"Hey. What's wrong?" Chanyeol asked, a little stumped over the sudden change in atmosphere. Jongdae's fingers left the board almost immediately but Chanyeol was certain he had not imagined the scales rising the way they had. Something about this exchange had affected Jongdae, and while it was a clear sign that it had triggered an easier pull of energy, it wasn’t exactly something to celebrate.

"Nothing," Jongdae said evenly, and Chanyeol hummed.

"Yeah, sure. What is it? If you're worried that Yifan's gonna tell on you-"

"Telling on me would include acknowledging my existence and I doubt that's something he's looking to do."

It had come out quiet and even, but it was enough for Chanyeol to finally understand.

"Oh, don't mind him, he's awkward around nobles-"

"Save it," Jongdae sighed, looking around to finally settle on the blue sky above them. "He speaks to Yixing just fine. It's just me he dislikes. It's been like that since the day we moved in."

Chanyeol scoffed.

"Please.  _ I _ dislike you. Yifan doesn't."

When Jongdae didn't reply, Chanyeol relented and lay down on his side, hands running through the soft grass, preparing himself for a different lesson entirely. One that he was only willing to give because Yifan was a really great guy and didn#t deserve anyone thinking badly of him.

"You gotta put yourself in his shoes," he said eventually. "His parents own an orbal factory in Bareahard, and most of their clientele consists of big shot nobles. It may not mean much to you, but a tiny misstep for Yifan could mean the end of his parents' business."   
Jongdae didn’t seem convinced.

"Like I would ever stoop so low."

"Nobles can be fickle," Chanyeol shrugged. "Just look at the way they treated Yixing, and he's supposed to be one of them-"

"He isn't," Jongdae cut him off surprisingly firmly. "And neither am I."

"Yifan doesn't know that," Chanyeol argued, surprising himself with how calm he sounded. "And he's smart enough not to risk it. You're not some random baron either. One day, he might upset you, and word might get around that he's not in your good books, and just like this, the factory could be over and done with."

_ "You _ never seem to worry about that," Jongdae said in an unexpected fit of childishness, and Chanyeol halfheartedly flicked a daisy at him.

"Well, that's because you suck," he quipped. "And also I don't crouch in the dirt for  _ any  _ noble. But you can't ask that of people. Especially not someone like Yifan."

It was nothing but a logical statement to Chanyeol, an obvious truth, really, and yet Jongdae lowered his head. He didn't fidget, and he didn't meet his eye as he got to his feet.

"So I guess I just have to get used to it, then."

Chanyeol watched him dust off his uniform, plucking off the blades of grass to ensure he was still presentable. Something about the small gesture - or maybe it was his voice - had Chanyeol sigh.

"Don't be such a loser."

Annoyance returned to the other's face. While it felt familiar, Chanyeol wasn't done yet.

"If you give up on the orbs as fast as you give up on Yifan, let me know, so we can stop wasting time."

It had come out a little harsher than intended and for once, Chanyeol bothered to course correct.

"Yifan will come around," he said, slow and certain. "He's a great guy. Just give him some time."

Jongdae looked like there were words burning on his tongue, but after a few, endless seconds of hesitation, he opted to lightly shake his head.

"Forget it," he muttered. Chanyeol rolled over and watched him leave, feet restlessly tapping against the ground.

He thought back to the way Yifan had all but fled after their little tournament, how he tended to avoid eye contact with Jongdae and went perfectly silent during their shared meals at the dorm. At first, he'd assumed the other was particularly anti-social, but he'd quickly realized that Yifan was just a normal guy who tried to avoid the nobility. Chanyeol had known quite a few people like him.

With a thoughtful hum, he buried his head on his arms, not even wasting a thought on the amount of grass stains currently manifesting on his uniform.

  
  


* * *

Despite his previous hissy fit, Jongdae made sure to get up early and ask Jongin to join him in his exercises - who was obviously delighted over the opportunity to share something about his culture. For a moment, Chanyeol watched them from the top of the staircase, observing Jongin explain certain poses to him, correcting his posture and going on about the significance of wind.    
Then he strolled down the stairs, casually greeting Jongin and taking a seat around the low table placed into the corner of the entrance area. Jongdae had glared at him, clearly unimpressed, but Chanyeol had simply taken out his study materials. He wasn't there to watch Jongdae try to  _ feel the wind _ (however much of it would reach them through the windows) - no, he was there because he was waiting for the right moment.

It came when Chanyeol was about to give up, came in the form of a slightly ruffled-looking Yifan finally trudging down the stairs with a basketball under his arm, wearing comfy clothes and the expression of someone who had been caught in the act.

Chanyeol put down his book.

"Oh, morning," he said with the exuberance of someone who had been awake for way too long already, "Getting in some morning practice?"

Yifan shot him a funny look.

"Yeah...?" he dragged out, clearly thrown off by the fact that Chanyeol was acting like this was new to him. Like they hadn't had a conversation about basketball just two days ago, where he had mentioned preferring to play in the early morning, when the court was deserted.

"Can I join you? Just for today," Chanyeol hurried to add. "It's been forever since I played."

Yifan blinked, eyes flitting to the other two.

"Sure-"

"Awesome!" Chanyeol cut him off, jumping to his feet with enthusiasm. "Let's all play together. It's not really a game if it's just the two of us, right?"

He could see Yifan regret even leaving his room already, but Chanyeol only heartily patted his shoulder.

"Don't you wanna join, too, Jongin?" he asked, patting Yifan once more when the other reacted with mild confusion, but curiosity. "See?  _ Great  _ idea. With me and you, and Jongin and  _ that  _ loser, that would make for a good number, right? Wait, maybe we should ask Luhan, too, since he's in the basketball club. Oh, but then we need Yixing as well, to make it even again-"

And because YIfan was just too nice - and sleepy - to put up much of a fight, the six of them found themselves on the court not too long after.    
It was essentially Luhan versus Yifan, really, with both of them having to babysit two incompetent players. Basketball was kind of a street sport, known to be an activity enjoyed by commoners, so obviously, Chanyeol had tried it before. The same could not be said about Yixing, Jongin and Jongdae though. Seeing Jongdae try and dribble a ball was absolutely hilarious, and with a bit of whining and team-shuffling on Chanyeol's end, he could soon enjoy seeing Yifan squirm through trying to teach him. Jongdae clearly tried his best to follow along but the way he moved was too flowy, his movements too weak, and maybe Chanyeol had finally found something Jongdae was genuinely bad at - aside from cooking. It was honestly quite satisfying to watch, and Chanyeol considered that his payment when he purposefully butchered his last throw, letting the other team win.

_ Just this once, _ he told himself as he watched Yifan high-five Jongin and, after a beat of hesitation, also offered his hand to Jongdae (who copied the gesture so mechanically and awkwardly that Chanyeol had to hold back on a snort).

"Not bad for your first game," Yifan muttered.

"Thank you for showing me how it works," Jongdae replied, polite and stilted as usual, but it was enough for Yifan to shoot him an awkward grin.

Chanyeol smiled-

-and then yelped when he was smacked over the head.

"Are you even listening?" Luhan demanded, loud and accusatory, "Park Chanyeol, how dare you lose like that? You dragged me out here at ass o'clock to  _ lose?!" _

"And I thought Chanyeol was a sore loser," Yixing commented, looking amused more than anything.

Chanyeol ducked but Luhan was faster, jabbing his side as he went into a flurry of vivid complaints, rendering Chanyeol too caught up to even notice the unreadable look Jongdae was giving him.

Luhan was right of course.

Chanyeol hated losing more than anything.

But he hadn't stepped on the court with the intention to win, and he'd gotten what he wanted, so he could let it slide. Just this once.

  
  
  



	7. dancing out of line

~~_5th_ ~~ _**6th** prince Lucius joined forces with Dreichel's army in _ ~~_949_ ~~ _**952** \- _

Sitting in the last row of a chatter-filled classroom, Chanyeol looked down at his notes with a frown. He really had been careless when writing these down. Having Jongdae, of all people, see these mistakes was embarrassing.

"Chanyeol?"

He slammed his notebook close.

"Yeah?" he asked, putting his history book on top of it for good measure.

Yifan shot him a fleeting, judgemental look, but didn't address his suspicious behaviour.

"I just wanted to let you know that I won't make it to the engineering club today," he explained. "Practice was moved because of tomorrow's field trip."

He looked quite relaxed, considering that they were sharing a classroom with plenty of nobles. Granted, none of them even looked their way, too preoccupied with either studying or gossiping and not-so-subtly trying to impress each other.

Classrooms were still somewhat segregated with the nobles occupying the front rows, so obviously, Chanyeol had snatched a seat right behind them, just because he could. As soon as the teacher had declared the class over, however, he had made his way to the back to sit between Yifan and Jongin - who was currently getting a quiet history lesson by none other than Jongdae. He and Yixing were the only specks of white in the back of the classroom. This morning, too, he had joined Jongin in his morning stretches, and Chanyeol wondered when another orb lesson would be worth a try-

"You could at least nod, you know?"

"Hm?"

Yifan sighed.

"I know you consider glaring at Jongdae a fulltime obligation, but a little confirmation would be nice."

Chanyeol nodded, mentally rewinding the last seconds.

"You won't come to the club today," he eventually echoed. "Yeah. I'll let Minseok know."

"Cool. You're more distracted than usual, by the way. Everything okay?" Yifan asked slowly, seeking eye contact if only to make sure Chanyeol didn't space out on him again. With a dramatic sigh, Chanyeol leaned over his desk.

"I don't know. I guess I'm a little worried about the test next week," he admitted. "It's kinda hard to gauge the difficulty."

"Yeah, I get that," Yifan muttered, frowning at his own notes. "This isn't one of the most infamous academies for nothing. Feels like no amount of preparation is sufficient."

"I know, right?" Chanyeol whined. "Like, sure, we all passed the entrance exams, but maybe those were easy in comparison?"

"I see you're studying?" a nasal voice piped up, and Chanyeol reflexively looked up, only to tense up at the sight of Zitao - the second most glare-worthy person at the school.

He was about to open his mouth when he realized that Zitao - who had pranced over to them, surprisingly void of his usual posse of what Chanyeol could only assume to be spineless nobles - had in fact, been talking to Jongdae.

The very same Jongdae who didn't even bat an eye and had obviously not heard him over whatever time period he was trying to explain to Jongin, pen tapping against the paper.

Under regular circumstances, Chanyeol would feel sorry for him. Considering how much of a jerk he had been to Yixing (and him) though, all he did was snort.

Zitao's embarrassment was obvious from the way his cheeks darkened, but not from his arrogant expression as he took another step towards Jongdae, going as far as to place his palm on the table.

"I'm not sure if it's been brought to your attention before, but there's plenty of handy resources at the upper class dorm, seeing as we have a private library," he added, undeterred, still wearing this stiff, all-too punchable smirk.

Jongdae didn't even look up from Jongin's notes.

"I'll have to decline - although I appreciate the offer."

Chanyeol couldn't help the grin spreading on his lips. Only Jongdae could be so damn rude while using all these flowery phrases.

Zitao deserved it all and then some, but Chanyeol would be a liar to say it _wasn't_ satisfying to see Jongdae's catty attitude directed at someone that wasn't him for a change.

He could see Zitao's hand clench by his side, but it still didn't reach his expression.

"Certainly we'll be able to make an exception for your- acquaintance," he added, clearly condescending. "Maybe it'll speed up his progress."

Jongin looked awkward at best, but Jongdae only made a noncommittal sound, eyes still on whatever line he was currently commenting in his chicken scratch excuse for noble handwriting.

Unlike him, however, Chanyeol refused to stand by and let Jongin be humiliated.

"Why do you make it sound like Jongin is an idiot?" he asked, straightening up to properly glare at Zitao, who responded in kind.

"I don't recall talking to you," he drawled out.

At this point, however, Chanyeol considered himself completely immune to noble arrogance, and he only raised his brows in mock surprise.

"Ooh, my bad! I guess since you were talking _about_ Jongin - who is sitting right here - I assumed this was some sort of open discussion?"

"Unless invited, you can always assume that you're not part of whatever _discussion_ people of our ranks are having," Zitao responded in thinly veiled exasperation. "It would do you some good to learn this lesson before you graduate."

Something about Zitao wasn't just rubbing Chanyeol the wrong way, it straight up set him on fire. This guy got under his skin almost as much as Jongdae did, but in a very different way.

"You really think you're in a position to act like this?" he asked, feeling his anger gradually take over in an all-too familiar way. "We're all students here, in case you missed the memo. What do you gain from walking all over people you assume to be beneath you? You don't even know a single thing about Jongin. He isn't even from here-"

"Like I said," Zitao began, but Chanyeol wasn't one to get interrupted by voices that had never had to rise in volume to be heard.

"And if I told you that Jongin's actually considered royalty in the Highlands - what would you do then?" he demanded, gaining immense gratification from the way a shadow of insecurity flickered over Zitao's expression at last, eyes quickly darting towards Jongin.

"I wasn't aware that the Highlands had royals," he said, slow and hesitant.

Chanyeol huffed.

"See? An instant 180. Don't you realize how-"

"Shut up, Park," Jongdae groaned, finally looking up from his notes to send Chanyeol an annoyed look. "If you wanna brawl like a street dog, do it outside. I am trying to study here."

"Oooh, our highness is _studying,"_ Chanyeol dramatically commented, immediately turning towards him instead. "Pardon for wasting air in your vicinity-"

"I'm glad to see that you opened your mind to four-syllable words at last, but I'd appreciate it even more if you practiced them at room volume," Jongdae retorted, wearing this infuriating mask of nonchalance that was more irritating than a mosquito bite on the underside of one's foot, and Chanyeol really wanted to punch him.

"And _I'd_ appreciate you minding your own business, yet here we are-"

"You're really sitting in a glass house regarding that one."

Chanyeol went into a rant on how to properly appreciate people voluntarily spending time with him, with Jongdae having an appropriate retort to every single thing he said, both of them blatantly ignoring Zitao. At this point, the attention of the classroom had long dissipated - they had soon realized that the commoner boy picking a fight with the son of the Kims never led to anything but faint headaches.

By the time Jongin carefully broke them up by suggesting to buy snacks with Chanyeol, Zitao was nowhere to be seen anymore.  
  


* * *

Did Chanyeol regret what he'd said to Zitao? No.

Would he do it again? ...probably.

Did that make his timing any better though? Well. No.

When the teacher had separated them into groups after a short 30 minute march into a nearby forest, Chanyeol had initially cheered. Exploring the forest in search for edibles and plant samples had sounded somewhat exciting but doing so with Jongin and Luhan would be even better.

Then Zitao was added to their group, and the atmosphere had turned pretty sour since.

At the announcement, Zitao had grimaced, but hadn't spoken up against the instructor. Seeing him voluntarily duck his head for once was nice, but it was hard to appreciate the sight when the other was standing with them like he was their team leader, receiving instructions and radiating arrogance.

Chanyeol couldn't help but notice how he was clumsier than Jongdae in that regard though. Zitao's rigid posture and refusal to look their way screamed of purpose, lacking every sense of the bored, blasé attitude Jongdae had mastered as if his highest goal in life was to piss Chanyeol off. Yes, in comparison, Zitao came across as more hot-headed and unrefined. Childish even.

Part of him wondered whether that was the reason why Jongdae had so many nobles fawning over him, but entertaining this thought would somehow acknowledge that this concept of a _noble attitude_ was valid in any way.

The instructor clapped once, shooing them all off into different directions, leaving Chanyeol ample time to bemoan his terrible luck. It was just like him to be rid of Jongdae, but stuck with Zitao instead.

It didn't even take the pesky noble longer than two minutes to turn into a little tyrant.

"Alright, so you keep an eye open for medical herbs," he began as soon as they were out of ear-shot, really, interrupting the muted, friendly conversation they'd had about Luhan's upcoming basketball game.

At first, Chanyeol didn't even understand what he was referring to.

"And you look for edible plants and fruits," Zitao then said to him, somehow managing to convey that this was the easiest task, and that Chanyeol shouldn't be entrusted with anything more difficult than that.

...or so Chanyeol thought, because next, Zitao looked at Jongin and hesitated.

"And you... can document the animal species one could hunt."

Jongin didn't seem like he minded at all, like the connotation of Zitao's prejudices against people of the Nord was completely lost on him, but both Luhan and Chanyeol shot him shrewd looks.

"Oh, and you supervise us while doing so?" Luhan eventually asked, deceivingly casual.

Zitao had the guts to look exasperated.

"Of course not. You're responsible for your own results."

Luhan nodded in faux understanding.

"I see," he breathed out slowly. "And what are _you_ doing? Just asking."

Zitao didn't even have to look down at his small notepad.

"I'll be in charge of localizing and categorizing potential shelters," he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"So you're saying we'll crouch in the dirt while you stare at landscapes," Chanyeol commented blankly. He had to hand it to Zitao though - the pitiful look he received in return was almost on Jongdae levels of infuriating.

"Yes," he dragged out slowly. "And this is why _you_ should stick to finding berries."

"Identifying edible food - and processing it - is not an easy thing to do," Jongin began seriously, but Chanyeol stopped in his tracks, holding up his hand.

"Okay, but I don't remember asking you to play instructor for us."

"Yeap," Luhan agreed, crossing his arms. He looked quite unimpressed. "As far as I'm concerned this is supposed to be a group assignment."

Zitao stopped as well.

"Obviously," he stated, mildly annoyed. "Which is why splitting the tasks would be the most effective way to yield results-"

"You don't get it, do you?" Chanyeol asked, wondering how he still had any disbelief left in him. "You're not the boss of us."

Zitao looked like his patience was wearing thin, but the feeling was mutual.

"I was simply" he began, but Luhan cut him off with the same nonchalance he had for Jongdae's and Chanyeol's eternal quarreling.

"You were _simply_ thinking that being the only noble in this group, you're entitled to take the lead," he finished the sentence. "Cute, but you can forget about that real quick. We do this together or not at all."

Zitao narrowed his eyes at him, clearly not expecting a pushback this hard but for once, Chanyeol was perfectly sure that sitting back and watching was all he needed to do. Because if there was one person who wasn't having people throwing a fit, it would be Luhan.

"Oh? You want to refuse the task?" Zitao asked, already slipping out of his overly formal attitude.

 _"We_ refuse to work _under_ you," Luhan corrected him. "And seeing as it's three of us and one of you, you better adapt or report your lack of results to the instructor by yourself."

He hadn't even said it in an overly aggressive manner, just making it very clear that any further petty arguments would be useless.

Zitao looked equal parts furious and speechless, and for a moment, Chanyeol expected him to keep arguing. But eventually, reason seemed to win out; after all, if there was anything nobles defined themselves by, aside from their family name, it would be educational success. Failing an assignment was as shameful to him as it would be to anyone else.

So ultimately, Zitao relented - not without an exasperated sigh, of course.

"And what do you propose we do?" he demanded. Luhan shrugged.

"Well, separating the tasks is a good idea. What do you guys wanna do?" he asked into the round.

Chanyeol could only shrug as well.

"Well, I don't exactly bring any qualifications to the table, so whichever task is left over is good enough for me," he admitted. They looked towards Jongin, who still seemed pretty unperturbed by the drama.

"Anything's fine, really," he assured them, still wearing a sunny smile.

Zitao snorted, clearly ready to tear apart the commoner's useless fight for independence, but Luhan was on top of things as per usual.

"Well, obviously, Jongin is our ace. So if you don't mind, you should take on the most difficult task. Which are the shelters."

Zitao spluttered.

"He's a _foreigner-"_

"Who grew up in tune with nature in the Northern Highlands," Luhan cut him off, rolling his eyes. "Unlike city boy Chanyeol and me. And don't even get me started on you. Jongin is closer to our surroundings than any of us. Anyway, I'd like to do the edible plants and fruits stuff, if that's cool."

"Sure," Chanyeol shrugged. "That leaves hunting and herbs. I'm no good at either but I did bring the book on plants, so I guess I'll be doing-"

"I am not going to hunt," Zitao intervened, sounding surprisingly firm.

Chanyeol suppressed a groan.

"It's not like you'd be hunting," he began, "just documenting and categorizing animal species-"

"I am _not_ going to do this," Zitao insisted slowly.

Chanyeol stared at him, contemplating his own reaction. Long and hard.

He _had_ mentioned that he didn't mind either task, but Zitao's attitude was really pissing him off. He could make things hard for him.

He could.

In the end, however, he sighed and handed over his book.

"There," he huffed, pushing it against his chest, where Zitao held it out of instinct more than anything. "But be careful with my book. Unlike you, I can't afford only using things once."

Zitao looked very much like he wanted to protest, and Chanyeol - who had a pair of functioning eyes and could tell the other hadn't brought his own book - mentally _dared_ him to. Indeed Zitao parted his lips but thought better of it and just stalked ahead, muttering something about how he'd never damage a book.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes, and Luhan patted his shoulder, shooting him a nonchalant shrug, the unspoken message clear. Good enough. At least they could get to work now. Because Luhan was certainly right about one thing: aside from Jongin, all of them were absolutely lost in the wild. Though they had to do a better job than, say, Jongdae. Yes, Chanyeol was determined not to be outdone by the other, more nobility-heavy teams.

They stalked through the forest, occasionally stopping if any of them saw something noteworthy. It was mostly Jongin asking them to pause as he tested the properties of places he claimed to be really effective spots to either rest or lay traps. It gave them time to also scour the environment - Chanyeol in particular had to distance himself from the others most of the time, trying to get an overview of the animals common to this forest. With so many groups of people marching through the forest, most animals had understandably retreated, but Chanyeol could be pretty observant if he wanted to be (and he generally loved animals). Near a clearing, he got lucky and managed to spot a hare in between the bushes. Having grown up around domesticated bunnies, Chanyeol couldn't help but marvel at the sheer size of it. The hare seemed to have noticed them, teetering on the verge of fleeing, but Chanyeol simply kept watching it, not moving an inch-

A shrill shriek had him drop his notebook as the hare jumped, fleeing into the depths of the forest.

Chanyeol flew around, a curse on his lips, as Zitao flew past him.

"It's huge-" Zitao yelped, high-pitched and panicky, all noblesse forgotten.

"W-what is?!" Chanyeol asked nervously, looking around but not seeing anything.

Not until a large, shiny bug landed on a nearby tree trunk.

He blinked.

"What's wrong?" Luhan asked, already jogging over to them, with Jongin in tow.

"Uhm..." Chanyeol trailed off, unsure on how to answer that.

He pointed at the thing sitting innocently on the tree.

Luhan stared at it.

"That's a bug."

Before anyone could comment on it, said bug flew off and right towards Zitao again - potentially lured in by his flowery perfume - prompting him to screech in an entirely undignified way.

"Make it go away-"

For a moment, they all stood there in dumbstruck silence, watching Zitao run around like a headless chicken.

"Don't just stand there-" he whined, freaking out more with every passing second, "it's _following_ me!"

Jongin shuddered, looking thoroughly disgusted and even taking a step away from Zitao, for good measure.

"Sorry, but, uhm. I'm not good with bugs," he admitted, shifting his weight back and forth.

Chanyeol shared his sentiment with a helpless shrug. That _was_ a pretty gross bug, and he had no idea how to even begin getting rid of it. He didn't exactly have anything on him to catch it with-

Luhan looked very close to a headache.

"Really now?"

When none of them reacted, he swiftly retrieved one of his gathering containers.

Both Chanyeol and Jongin simply stood there, watching him chase after Zitao, who refused to calm down.

"Stop running around so much-"

"Make it go away!"

"How am I supposed to catch it like this? Mid-air?"

"Just do it- _oh my god_ it touched me!"

"So... did you notice any animal I could write down?" Chanyeol asked blankly. "Cause I think they're all gone for good after this."

Jongin grimaced sympathetically.

  
  


* * *

  
  


"This was worse than yesterday's combat training," Luhan panted, leaning against a tree before slowly slipping down and flopping into the grass.

Wordlessly, Jongin handed him a water bottle.

After Luhan had freed the dreaded bug, they had quickly made their way into the forest again, resting at a small pond.

"It definitely looked more stressful," Chanyeol commented, sitting down next to him. This part of the forest was quite picturesque, even if the pond water was murky and still, smelling strongly of algae. It was apparently still good enough for Zitao to fix his hair in the water reflection. He hadn't said a word since the dreaded bug had been caught, hadn't looked anyone in the eye, really.

Chanyeol was a little too exhausted to wring a 'Thank You' out of him and Luhan didn't seem to expect one, so instead, he spread out his notes and compared their findings.

Jongin's notes were plentiful and detailed enough for Chanyeol to consider copying them to use them for his own studies.

"I thought the Highlands consist mostly of mountains and meadows? I didn't know you were so accustomed to forests."

Jongin smiled, lighting up like he always did when someone brought up his home.

"We have forests, too," he explained. "They may be very different in both flora and fauna, but that only makes this trip all the more interesting."

Chanyeol hummed.

The Highlands were a vast country, largely uninhibited and only fully explored by the native tribes living there. The academy's history books were actually rather lacking when it came to their neighbour in the north-east, so listening to Jongin speak of his home was fascinating to Chanyeol. And Jongin always spoke so animatedly about his background and upbringing, about how he had assisted his mother in herding cattle or how learning to ride a horse was an important step to become part of their community.

Chanyeol had never taken himself to be a prejudiced person but knowing Jongin, seeing how he was not only diligent and benevolent, but also wise in a way none of them were, had truly solidified his respect for the Highlanders.

Sometimes, Chanyeol felt like _they_ should be the ones learning from him.

"Glad you found this encounter _interesting,"_ Luhan only grumbled, but it was all in good fun. "I can't believe such a child of nature is scared of bugs."

"Our bugs aren't nearly this large," Jongin pouted. "Besides, I was once bitten by a huge moth as a child-"

Chanyeol shuddered.

"Ugh, please don't elaborate."

Jongin chuckled.

"We're all hopeless, I guess. Thanks for saving us, Luhan," he said airily, only to be waved off.

"Don't mention it."

"You know, you called Jongin our ace, but we'd be in trouble without you," Chanyeol commented. "You're actually making for a pretty good leader."

Luhan snorted, but Chanyeol wasn't having it.

"For real," he insisted. "I noticed it back during our pseudo combat tournament. You're pretty good at delegating people and stuff."

Luhan shook his head, biting back a grin.

"It's nothing. Just something I kinda grew up doing. I don't wanna be obnoxious or anything."

"Don't worry about it," Chanyeol assured him while Jongin tilted his head in curiosity.

"Got a lot of siblings?"

Luhan made a negating sound in the back of his throat.

"I'm a single child. But my parents own a pretty big dye mill."

Luhan had mentioned coming from a town called Celdic, famous for its market, flowers and fabrics, but this was new to them. He seemed nothing if not nonchalant though.

"We have a lot of people helping out over the summer, so distributing tasks with people's strengths in mind and keeping an overview is kinda important."

A small, derogatory snort had them look up to find Zitao standing nearby, looking down at them with a fresh wave of disdain.

"An aspiring little businessman," he drawled out, one hand on his hips. "I keep wondering how the likes of you even make it through the entrance exam. If this school wasn't so prestigious, one would assume that commoners get a different set of questions."

Chanyeol probably looked like an idiot with how his jaw dropped at the sheer audacity.

He must have hit a nerve because before Chanyeol could even think of delivering the punch the other was so clearly begging for, Luhan - level-headed, mature Luhan - slowly got to his feet, gaze hard and voice confrontational.

"I worked hard to get where I am now," he began slowly, clearly enunciating every word, stringing together tense syllables. "I worked my ass off in ways your privileged self will never be able to emphasize with."

Jongin shared a helpless look with Chanyeol, who could only shrug. Sure, they should be doing something, but while he was always ready to face off a noble, he was not dumb enough to get in Luhan's line of sight now.

"And my parents' business is an honourable place where we value our employees and the craft that's been handed down for generations," he added, leaving no room for argument. "In fact, I am positive that your private wardrobe would not look the same without our handiwork."

"If it's such a substantial business, then maybe you should hurry back home and focus on that instead," Zitao quipped, head tilted and arms crossed.

At last, Luhan snapped, voice rising as he took a step towards him.

"What's your problem with me? I just fucking helped you out when you were screaming like a little baby over some bug! And I didn't even expect you to thank me, but _this? What's this?"_

Zitao huffed, but it was clear that he, too, was growing more aggravated by the second.

"Ever considered that this is what your place is meant to be, anyway-"

"You're acting like a ridiculous, petulant child - you're not saving face, you're making yourself look even more pathetic-" Luhan spat, but whatever he was going to say next got stuck in his throat when Zitao shoved him - straight into the pond.

He crashed into the water with a shocked yelp, and both Jongin and Chanyeol jumped to their feet.

"What the hell?!" Chanyeol demanded, stepping towards the pond, where Luhan was splashing around... frantically.

It only took a split-second for both of them to realize that he couldn't swim.

Anger turned to alarm immediately. They moved simultaneously, but Chanyeol was faster.

"I got it," he said curtly, shrugging off shoes and jacket within seconds, jumping in with no hesitation.

It was actually much deeper than he'd anticipated, and even more disgusting. Luhan was still splashing around blindly, and for once, Chanyeol was grateful for his advantage in height since getting a hold of him wasn't too hard. Meanwhile Jongin kept calling out to him from the sidelines, instructing him to stay calm, and to trust Chanyeol.

He also held out a hand when Chanyeol managed to pull him towards the wet, slimy tree roots framing the pool. With combined strength, they managed to pull Luhan out. Under normal circumstances, he would have certainly been able to pull himself up easily but right now, he was shaking. Violently so.

"It's much deeper than it looks like," Chanyeol panted as he landed in the grass next to Luhan, dripping wet and reeking. Jongin only hummed, rubbing Luhan's shoulders while a string of calming reassurances left his lips. He was quick to wrap his own, dry jacket around Luhan's shoulders. Who was still heaving and shaking, and didn't utter a single word.

With the immediate danger gone, Chanyeol whirled around to glare at Zitao... who was standing a few feet away, looking shell-shocked.

"Are you out of your mind?!" he barked, spurred on by the sudden rush of adrenaline.

Zitao was just standing there, shoulders drawing up ever so slightly.

"How was I supposed to know-"

"Shut up!" Chanyeol cut him off, getting to his feet to face the perfect example of everything he despised about nobles. "Considering your constant mockery, you obviously knew none of us grew up with fitness programs and fencing lessons and whatever the hell else you noble kids get. If you'd stopped to think about anything but yourself for just a second, you wouldn't have done it-"

His voice was growing in volume, but he didn't care and for once, Zitao didn't even attempt to interrupt him as Chanyeol poured out all the bottled up emotions of the day.

"-but _no,_ everything the great Huang Zitao does only serves himself! You think you're worth more than us but in reality, none of us could crouch down low enough to see eye to eye with you, and you know what? People _know_ that. Nobility or not, people see through this shit. Actually, the only noble thing about you is your selfish arrogance, and _that's_ why Kim doesn’t look your way even if you're begging him to!"

There, he'd said it. All he'd been thinking and then some.

Zitao looked like he'd genuinely slice his head off if he had access to a sword, but not a single word left his lips.

For once, Huang Zitao was truly speechless.

"What's going on here?"

He saw the mildly concerned face of a noble student whose name he didn't know as another group entered the clearing, clearly drawn in by all the shouting. Upon seeing Luhan, they immediately rushed to see if he needed anything, and Zitao used the chance to whirl around and stomp off.

Chanyeol himself was heaving, still too riled up to function, so he walked around the pond, intending to get away and calm down when he almost bumped into the last member of the fellow group. Jongdae.

Because of course.

Following the startled little sound in the back of his throat, he gave him a judgemental once over, voice nasal as ever.

"Took a dog bath?"

Chanyeol briefly closed his eyes, ignoring the way his wet shirt clung to the back of his neck. And arms. And everything.

He took a deep breath.

"Jongdae?" he finally asked, as calm as he could muster.

His name sounded weird on his tongue, and maybe the other agreed, because he looked somewhat taken aback.

"Yes?" he asked slowly, suspiciously. Carefully.

"Can _you_ swim?"

Now he huffed, features relaxing again.

"Of course I can swim, who do you-"

With one, decisive push, Chanyeol shoved him into the pond.

He'd probably have to pay for the dry-cleaner, but that was worth it.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...unrefined as ever, but getting deeper into the various cast members is a lot of fun ;;  
> If you're reading this, thanks for indulging meeee~
> 
> Also, I always take suggestions with this fic, so if you wanna see more of a certain character, let me know c:  
> Love,  
> Sugary


	8. Wait.

Chanyeol did not end up having to pay for Jongdae's sullied uniform.

He did, however, get copious amounts of glares from the other that lasted for an entirety of three meals at the dorm (which accumulated to a single day, really). A small price. It allowed him to properly focus on his other doormmates, who all seemed to be in various stages of distress over the upcoming exam. There was quiet, studious Yixing, who carried the stress like any other noble would (with unnerving grace), and even more quiet, but very clearly stressed out Yifan, who had already made plans to study with his fellow club members.

For once, Chanyel could emphasize more with Jongin, who seemed determined and serious, and preferred to study on his own. Studying in groups may be fun and helpful occasionally, but it was also an invitation to distraction. Distraction that he really didn't need, so he tried to get the biggest chunks down on his own.

And then there was Luhan.

"So, I thought about joining the swimming club," he just announced over a mouthful of toast. The disaster that occured barely two days ago hadn't left a single shadow on his expression (though Chanyeol doubted he'd truly put it behind himself so soon), but that didn't make this statement any less surprising.

Yifan blinked.

"Aren't you in a club already?"

Luhan shrugged.

"And? There's no law telling me to only join one club, is there?"

"I can't believe that is the conclusion you came to after Wednesday," Chanyeol piped up, genuinely taken aback. Luhan didn't seem fazed in the slightest.

"Well, what better time to learn how to swim? I mean, why not? Do you take beginners?"

"Of course," Yifan muttered, sharing Chanyeol's surprise but not being one to expose people.

Of course they had all heard of the incident by now, but there really wasn't much else to say about this, except-

"That's really admirable of you," Jongin commented, still somewhat sleepy, but nonetheless genuine.

Chanyeol could only nod. After almost drowning - and being humiliated by someone like Zitao - _he_ certainly wouldn't be eager to step near a pool anytime soon. But apparently Luhan preferred to tackle issues head on, while they were still fresh.

"Eh, it's just something I never learnt," Luhan dismissed them, snatching a small tomato from the bowl between them. "Don't expect the same enthusiasm when it comes to my fear of heights. You're not getting me on an airship any time soon."

The conversation drifted off to one about airship experiences next, and then naturally transitioned to them rehearsing their study material (with Kyungsoo correcting them ever so often, despite insisting that he wouldn’t teach them, ever), but Chanyeol found himself spacing out, mulling over what Luhan had said. Seeing your shortcomings and getting to work on them, without your own pride being in the way… it really was admirable and something to strive for.

It also further drove home why Luhan and Zitao had clashed so terribly. After all, Zitao couldn't be further from this mentality if he actively tried.

That guy probably wouldn't admit to his mistakes if someone put a knife to his throat.

Quite like Jongdae... right?

Chanyeol half-heartedly thought about that as he helped the others clean the table. Saying that Jongdae wouldn't ever own up to his mistakes _seemed_ right. It would be the most _noble_ thing to do. And honestly? He hadn't ever said a word to convince him otherwise, so why was Chanyeol so naturally convinced that Zitao would be even more pride-driven?

His first instinct was to pen it on his and Jongdae’s perpetual arguments fooling him into seeing him in a more... genuine light. But he'd also been arguing a lot with Zitao already, so that didn't make a lot of sense.

It was peculiar, and Chanyeol would be annoyed by the fact that he was thinking about Jongdae in this very rare moment of pleasant (one-sidedly sulky) silence between them, but it was simply something he did; thinking about people and their intentions, making sure he knew where he stood with them. And it was unintuitive and, quite frankly, absurd to think that Jongdae was not the person he was on the absolute _worst_ terms with in this school.

Where _did_ he stand with Jongdae though?

"Chanyeol."

At the sound of Yifan's exasperated voice, he snapped back into it.

"Hm?"

"Never mind," the other muttered, which truly rooted Chanyeol back in the moment for good.

"What? No, tell me," he hurried to insist, trailing after him, doing his best to sound like a rueful puppy. "I'm sorry, I was just distracted. And tired. Is it about our studying session?"

Yifan was right though. There were more important things than pondering his social standing on a couple hours of sleep. The exam came first, and he was determined to do well.

* * *

Chanyeol had never been the brightest kid in school.

Sure, he wasn't _stupid,_ but one would have to be a prodigy (or a privileged noble) to stand out in a city known for technological advancements. No, Chanyeol considered himself pretty average when it came to intelligence.

Of course average intelligence alone would not have garnered him a spot at the Red Sun Academy. But what Chanyeol lacked in raw genius, he made up for in hard work. Consistent, painstakingly hard hours and hours of studying. He was no stranger to all-nighters. Or frustration. In fact, he considered his self-awareness his greatest academic strength. He knew what it felt like to push himself, knew exactly how his body and mind reacted to stress; knew when to take a break, when to keep going, and how to deal with feelings of irritation and dread.

Not like that meant much in this prestigious school that seemed to be a melting pot of studious people from all over the country. The library was always crowded and there was no such thing as teasing people for studying too hard. Maybe it was just something about all the first years being equally nervous. It wasn't even their official midterm just yet - just a mixed exam on the military-based subjects - but apparently Chanyeol wasn't the only one determined to do well and report to his family with good news. Luckily for him, Minseok seemed somewhat offended that just about every new club member was sitting at the table, studying together instead of tinkering.

"That's way too sad," he'd sighed, clearly taking pity on them as he pulled out a chair to sit down and give them a quick rehearsal. Studying with his doormmates was pretty great, but having a senior break things down was a different level entirely. It certainly helped that Minseok turned out to one of the best students in his year. How he managed any of this while spending his every free minute hunched over machinery, Chanyeol didn't know. And he didn't care, as long as someone could actually make him understand basic Military Finance concepts.

"Uhm, Chanyeol?"

He looked up from his practice exercises to see Yixing and Luhan hover in the doorway, awkward at having interrupted what probably looked like a club meeting. Well, technically, it was-

Only then did Chanyeol remember. He'd made plans to study with them that morning.

"Right-" he breathed out, scrambling to pack up his things. "I forgot. Again. Ugh, Yifan will kill me-"

"No, he won't," Yixing chuckled, while Luhan crossed his arms.

"But I might," he quipped. "My time is precious, so move it."

Chanyeol gulped.

"Yessir," he muttered, nodding towards his fellow club members, and once more to Minseok. "Thanks for the lesson, it was really helpful. Good luck guys-"

He was already half-way around the table when Minseok's hand shot forwards, grabbing his arm with shocking force.

"One moment, Chanyeol," he chirped, a merry tone that was completely at odds with his iron grip as he got to his feet and dragged Chanyeol with him. Confused, he stumbled after him, almost tripping as Minseok stopped as abruptly, pulling him down and lowering his voice for two slow, firm questions.

"What's his name and is he single?"

Chanyeol blinked.

"What?"

 _"Park Chanyeol._ Don't make me come and get you," he heard Luhan threaten him from the door, voice sharp enough to pull Chanyeol away from Minseok with an apologetic smile and confused nod.

"Sorry - I'll be back tomorrow," he muttered, still feeling mildly disturbed as Yixing herded him out with a hand on his back.

He didn't dare spacing out on the others for a third time that day though, so the weird encounter had to forcibly be pushed to the back of his mind for the time being.

The day didn't respect his wishes though, making him mentally stumble over the next thing as soon as he entered the dorm to find a familiar-looking book on the table in their entrance area. It was his book on plants.

"Huang came up to me in the library and pushed it in my hands," Yifan shrugged. "Stormed off without a word."

Luhan huffed, and Chanyeol could only agree.

"Coward," he muttered, sinking into the couch to pick up his book. Not only had he avoided Chanyeol, he'd also given it to Yifan, of all people.

"At least you got it back?" Luhan offered. It was admirable how little he seemed to care about Zitao, considering the guy had almost drowned him not too long ago. Then again, nobles acting like nobles wasn't exactly groundbreaking news to most people (not like Chanyeol was going to overlook their faults or, god forbid, excuse them).

Having the book on plants back did indeed come in handy though. He'd planned to share the copy of one the others for the time being; he had in no way been afraid of approaching Zitao to demand his book back, but he simply hadn't been in the mood to see his face. Without potentially punching him, that is.

"Yeah, whatever," he grumbled, half-heartedly flipping through the book in search for the chapter he had bookmarked a few days ago. The bookmark was gone though.

Only then did he realize something.

"Wait a second..." he mumbled, turning open the cover, only to find the first page empty.

"What is it?" Luhan asked in mild interest, leaning into his view. Chanyeol could only shake his head.

"This isn't my book. I've written my name in it and everything. This one's... brand new?"

"Huh," Yifan muttered.

"How peculiar," Yixing commented.

Chanyeol only stared at the book in scrutiny, trying to figure out what to think about this. Was Zitao mocking him? Was this his retaliation to Chanyeol admitting that he could hardly afford a new book every day?

Or was this a messed up kind of apology?

It was hard to decide which option would be more upsetting, really.

After all, the one he should be apologizing to was Luhan-

"Oh, Jongdae, there you are!" Yixing exclaimed with his usual, open and friendly smile that he seemed to wear whenever he interacted with Jongdae. Who was currently standing at the foot of the stairs, a messenger bag slung around his shoulder, shooting them a look that qualified as neutral at best.

His stance and uniform were pristine as ever, but the subtle strain on his expression wasn't.

"Was there anything you needed?" he asked, at least saving the passive aggressive undertone he'd whip out for Chanyeol.

Yixing shook his head and scooted a little closer to Luhan to make room.

"Not particularly. Would you like to study with us?"

"I prefer to study on my own, thank you," he shot him down straight away. Chanyeol fully expected to be ignored, so he didn't even bother with a comment, but despite the other's tense state, Jongdae generously made time for a pitying glance thrown his way.

"Good luck getting something into his poor excuse for a brain," he sighed, but it lacked the usual venom.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes.

"Thanks for your concern."

"Good luck, then," Yixing smiled, even though Jongdae was halfway to the door already, blatantly ignoring the others' friendly attitude. "Don't overdo it though, and remember to take breaks."

"Sure," was all Jongdae said, and then he was gone.

"Breaks sound fantastic," Luhan murmured, and Yifan hummed in sympathy.

Chanyeol snorted.

"We didn't even start yet."

"I was more saying like, in general," Luhan whined. "I hate studying."

"We should treat ourselves after this, then," Yixing suggested. It was almost comical how fast both Chanyeol and Luhan perked up at this.

"With what? Food?" Yifan asked. Yixing shrugged.

"Sure, why not? It could be a dorm three event. We've never actually gotten dinner downtown, did we? I've heard there's quite a few nice restaurants. That are affordable for students," he added after seeing their doubtful expressions.

"You better not get my hopes up for nothing here," Luhan half-threatened him, though the attempt was ruined by his pursed lips. "Or else you'll have to treat me."

Yixing only chuckled.

"If you score over 80 percent, I'll think about it."

"80 percent?" Luhan echoed incredulously. "I'm not sure if I've ever scored 80% on anything in my entire life-"

Yixing assured him that it would be fine, that Luhan surely had the brains to get through this if only he memorized a few things, and Chanyeol tried not to day-dream about restaurant food. The last time he had been to a restaurant was when his parents had celebrated his acceptance into the academy. Not like they couldn't afford them at all - restaurant visits were simply reserved for special occasions. Sure, having Jongdae with them was somewhat lame but if he dared to try and ruin their fun by commenting badly on the food, Chanyeol would be right there to remind him that he was incapable of making a sandwich.

During dinner, Yixing repeated his proposal, and Jongin seemed excited.

Kyungsoo politely declined - and then declined a little more firmly when Yixing tried a more sugary sweet approach - and Jongdae... wasn't present. He'd returned at some point, only to go straight up to his room and shooing Luhan off upon calling for him.

"He's working too hard," Jongin sighed, moping into his second bowl of meat and vegetables. "By the time I did my morning stretches, he already looked like he'd been up for ages. He was playing around with a fire orb, insisting that he wasn't studying, but it's not like he _didn't_ have his books with him."

Chanyeol felt a completely irrational pang of guilt. While he'd expected Jongdae to keep practicing with orbs before their next study session, partaking in Jongin's morning exercises would have been more than enough. Trying to squeeze in more practice while cramming for an exam was just stupid.

Luhan hummed in sympathy.

"Can you bring him some food, Yeol?"

Chanyeol shot him a bewildered look.

"Why would I do that? Pretty sure his majesty knows where the dining area is-"

"Cause if it's you, he's probably actually going to eat something, if only out of spite," Luhan cut him off, already filling a bowl and putting it down before a very reluctant Chanyeol. "Now quit whining and go."

Chanyeol forlorny stared at his own, empty bowl, contemplating asking for another serving, simply to buy himself more time. Eventually, however, he caved - not without a petulant, withering glare sent Luhan's way. Somehow, making a fuss would feel like losing, and turning Luhan down after the other had so diligently reviewed his study materials with him earlier didn't feel right.

So he took the stairs, mentally preparing himself for a last, annoying encounter before he could take a hot shower and fall into bed. He was sick of staring at numbers and historical texts, and there was no use trying to cram any more into his head, so he'd save his last revision for the morning hours.

Jongdae's room was across his own, and for once, there was actually noise coming from it (though to be fair, Chanyeol had never _tried_ to listen in on him).

The noises were muffled and abrupt, with small gasps in between.

Chanyeol took a deep breath. If he caught Jongdae in an indecent position, he'd unfortunately have to bleach his eyes.

After steeling himself for another three seconds, he knocked. The lack of a response seemed to mock his mental preparation.

Chanyeol leaned in closer to the door, carefully straining his ears. Only when he was absolutely sure that the other wasn't making any suspicious sounds, did he open the door.

He'd never actually been inside Jongdae's room but he hardly spared it a glance now, eyes immediately resting on Jongdae - who was standing in the middle of the room, facing away from him as he swung a saber. He sounded fairly exhausted, with his posture about as strained as he'd seen it during their combat lessons before. He had clearly not lied to Zitao about his regular court fencing training.

For a while, Chanyeol watched him swing his blade in complex-looking swirls.

Then he gave himself a push. He really did want to go to sleep, after all.

"You really don't have anything better to do, do you?"

He had never seen Jongdae flinch so hard. Within a split second, the tip of his apparently very beautifully crafted saber was pointed at Chanyeol's throat.

Chanyeol may be easily scared, but he had seen this one coming and, as a result, didn't even flinch.

"Hmhm. I'm super scared of you," he said, as unimpressed as he could muster.

The look of wild surprise in Jongdae's eyes immediately cooled down into one of confused irritation. His bangs looked sweaty, and in the orbal light source, Chanyeol could finally pinpoint the strain he had noticed earlier. Jongdae was _tired._

Not like that affected his hissy fits in any way.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded immediately, lowering his saber. "I do not recall inviting you in-"

"And I don't recall seeing you at the dinner table," Chanyeol countered curtly. "You’re short, but not _that_ short."

"I'm not hungry."

"U-huh," Chanyeol hummed in disinterest, looking around the room. "Where should I put it?"

"I said," Jongdae repeated slowly, patience wearing thin already, "I am not hungry."

"And I didn't ask whether or not you're hungry, I asked where to leave this bowl of rice and fried meat," Chanyeol replied, echoing his tone, "that, by the way, was made by Yifan. Took him quite some time. He also burnt his finger when he realized Yixing was watching."

Jongdae was still glaring at him, but there was a tick of hesitation on his expression, a nick of weakness Chanyeol aimed for without mercy.

"Didn't you want to become friends with him?" he began. "And now you're not even bothering to eat what he cooked for you? How _noble-"_

"Just hand it over," Jongdae cut him off, holding out his hand and radiating annoyance. Chanyeol didn't say anything else as he handed over the food. He didn't have to, and his silence only further drove home that he had won this one.

His dormmates’ words echoed around his mind still, and Chanyeol thought about telling Jongdae off for pushing himself this hard before an exam. In the end, however, he thought better of it and simply left, closing the door with a soft click.

Not like it would have made a difference, anyway. Stubborn as Jongdae was, he'd probably work even _harder_ if he commented on it.

Chanyeol internally shrugged as he grabbed fresh clothes from his wardrobe.

As long as the moron ate Yifan's homemade food, he considered his job done. What Jongdae did in his free time was none of his business. And if he thought that stuffing every waking minute with exercise was a wise thing to do, he'd be the last one to stop him.

* * *

  
  


It turned out that they really had been worrying themselves over nothing.

The exam was not nearly as difficult as they had all deluded themselves into expecting. For once, Chanyeol felt quite overprepared, and while he surely didn't get _everything_ right, he had an overall good feeling upon leaving the classroom. The relief was mirrored on Yifan's face, and even Luhan looked cautiously hopeful. Jongin and Yixing remained wary, but they were obviously the type to fret despite their likely excellent results.

And Jongdae?

Jongdae was lying sick in bed barely an hour after the exam was handed in.

Of course he had been too stubborn to head to the infirmary, instead insisting how he simply needed some rest. They were still rewarding themselves with snacks in the kitchen when Yixing burst in, looking frazzled as he claimed Jongdae wasn't feeling too well.

Turned out that even the otherwise perfect Zhang Yixing was still a noble at heart, and helpless in the face of a cold.

"We could carry him to the infirmary," he suggested, looking very ready to do just that, and Yifan, who looked every bit as overwhelmed as him, volunteered as well.

Chanyeol only sat there, watching them argue back and forth like headless chicken, battling the nagging feeling of guilt settling in his stomach. Because yes, he may have tossed the other into a pond, but that had been two days ago and the weather had been nice and sunny that day. No one should get sick _that_ easily.  
Before they could decide on a course of action, Kyungsoo entered the dining area, demanding an explanation for the chaos. With Kyungsoo, one never forgot that he was part of the military - not even for a second - but right this instance, Chanyeol was grateful for it.

He told them to stop fussing and to stay downstairs while he took a look at Jongdae himself.

"He'll be fine," he said not too long after to Yixing, who had been hovering at the foot of the stairs, with the others seated at the table. "It's just a cold. I'll fetch him something from the infirmary. Don't crowd him in and let him rest."

"Who would have thought Instructor Do would be the one to mother us," Luhan deadpanned a while later.

Kyungsoo had allowed Yixing to accompany him, leaving the rest to sit around, twiddling their thumbs and feeling somewhat useless. Eventually, Jongin claimed that he'd go out and get some ingredients for a traditional soup helping with colds.

"I didn't know he had a medical background," Chanyeol admitted. Luhan only made a dismissive sound.

"What _do_ we know about him, really? Maybe we should pay more attention. If only to thank him properly."

Chanyeol leaned back with a huff.

"Jongdae should be the one worrying about this. He kinda really begged for it with how he's been acting."

"We all make mistakes," Yifan only hummed. "I just hope it's really just a cold."

Chanyeol got to his feet with a yawn.

"If Instructor Do says it's a cold, it's a cold," he said dismissively. "Our highness will live. I don't know what you guys are up to, but since our town outing isn't happening, I'll head over to the club house. I'm itching to do something with my hands after all this sitting around we did the past days."

Yifan shot him a dubious look, while Luhan shrugged. It was quite obvious who of them was more familiar with dealing with sick people. Yifan truly was an only child, while Luhan had the relaxed attitude of someone used to watching over people.

Chanyeol spent the rest of the day at the engineering clubhouse, tinkering on a little orbal vehicle that was supposed to be remote-controlled. Due to an exam of his own, Minseok wasn't present, leaving Chanyeol to dumly wonder who of his friends would have caught the attention of this otherwise preoccupied guy. Ultimately, he could only shrug it off and immerse himself into fiddling with the tiny motor until someone let him know that the sun had set hours ago.

By the time he arrived at the dorm, nobody was downstairs anymore. He assumed them all to have retreated to their rooms, and enjoyed the solitude as he took a late shower and had a bowl of leftover soup. It was nothing short of delicious and he really hoped Jongdae had at least tried it this time.

He was on his way to his room, hand already on the door handle, when he paused.

With his eyes trained on the wood, he listened. There were faint sounds coming from the other end of the small corridor, where Luhan's room was. He was probably listening to the radio.  
There were no sounds coming from the room behind him.

Chanyeol thought of the excessive worry Yixing and Yifan had showed. Ridiculous? Yes, obviously. But it also meant that they were straight up useless when it came to treating sick people.

Deep down, he already knew he was fighting a losing battle, so he turned with a sigh.

He'd just make sure the other was doing well, he told himself. No long, drawn out arguments, just a quick check. Considering how delicate Jongdae was, he was probably just being dramatic, anyway.

Chanyeol didn't knock this time, just in case the other was asleep.

Of course he had no such luck - the room was brightly lit, with Jongdae's eyes fluttering open the moment the door creaked.

Whatever defensive comment had rested on Chanyeol's tongue was forgotten, clogging up his throat instead. He entered the room and closed the door, if only not to alert anyone else, before he stated the obvious.

"Wow. You look like shit."

Jongdae's responding glare was so unfocused that Chanyeol wasn't even sure the other was actually seeing him.

"Go away," he rasped out. It came out weak and pitiful, and therefore Chanyeol generously ignored him as he stepped closer. Jongdae was flushed red and drenched in sweat, heat all but radiating off him.

Chanyeol didn't bother with the orbal thermometer resting on his nightstand and simply used the back of his hand against the other's cheek. It earned him another weak glare, and what almost felt like a burn.

"Your fever is way too high," Chanyeol stated, already looking around the room.

"Side effect of the medication," Jongdae muttered, closing his eyes. "Just leave."

Chanyeol hummed, and when he didn't find what he was looking for, he actually did leave... only to return with a bowl of cold water and a tower of clean towels.

Whatever protest Jongdae was mumbling into his blanket was entirely wasted on Chanyeol, who pulled out a chair and placed the bowl on the nightstand.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say" he hummed, dipping a towel into the water, only to press out the excess water. "People with a 40 degree fever don't really get to call the shots."

"You don't even know that-"

"Want me to get the thermometer and prove it?" Chanyeol all but threatened as he used the wet rag to slick back the other's bangs and place it on his burning forehead.

Jongdae sighed, eyes fluttering closed. He didn't even twitch when Chanyeol folded the rag to seal the wet pack with the dry end of it.

Chanyeol moved on autopilot, already wetting the next rag.

Jongdae _did_ twitch when the blanket was pulled down.

"What are you doing?" he whined(because his condition really didn't allow for any real snark). "I was told to stay like this-"

"And overheat completely? Yeah, no. That's not the plan," Chanyeol shot him down, calm and casual as he rolled up the other's sleeves.

"Since when does your knowledge exceed that of a Major?"

Chanyeol didn't even bat an eye.

"I know what I'm doing. Just zip it and let me work in peace," he said as he placed the second wet towel over his upper arm, wrapping it with swift, routinary movements. "Man, I can't believe you still got the energy to talk so frilly."

"I told you that it's just how I talk," Jongdae replied with his eyes slipping closed again, face scrunched up in exertion. "It is not a deliberate choice."

"All that fancy talk but you didn't bother to let anyone know that you're about to evaporate."

"I was told to be prepared for a higher fever," Jongdae protested weakly, but he relaxed considerably under the cool fabric pressed into his skin.

"And here I was, thinking that your noble, sensitive butt would be extra dramatic about everything," Chanyeol muttered, preparing a third rag for the other arm. "But no, of course you'd be 'perfect' in that regard, as well. And where did it get you? Nowhere."

"Is this your way of being smug?" Jongdae asked, but Chanyeol only clicked his tongue.

"Nah, I think it's pretty obvious that you were being dumb. I just wanted to see you all whiny and dramatic so I could tell you to suck up your harmless cold and take it like a man. But no, of course you're not providing me any joy at all."

Jongdae huffed, watching him through glassy eyes.

"That wouldn't be very noble, now would it?"

"What, being sick?" Chanyeol asked, clearly rhetorically. 

He attached the third rag, allowing the words to pour out just as he thought them - because talking like this, with a pliant, barely even conscious Jongdae was deceptively easy. "Tell you what - if I get sick? My whole family knows right away. The entire house knows, really. Especially when I was a kid - I'd whine and complain and act like I'm dying until my sister told me to just shut up. And then they'd all take care of me for a day or two, and I'd be just fine again, and my family could forever tease me about being a dramatic baby when I'm sick."

"Sounds pathetic," Jongdae murmured, not seeming particularly judgemental, and Chanyeol shrugged.

"Sure. But I think it's not that bad to alert people around you if you need their assistance. Of course they roll their eyes at me and sometimes I don't like their idea of nursing, but they're always there right away."

"How nice that you have these options," Jongdae breathed out, somehow managing to add a thin air of sarcasm. "I'll let you know when it becomes socially acceptable for a Kim to act like a whiny child."

"Yeah, 'cause Yixing will totally out you as a loser on the next rich people event," Chanyeol shot him down immediately.

"What do you want from me, Park Chanyeol?" Jongdae sighed. Chanyeol stilled with his hands around another wet rag. He hadn't wanted anything in particular, but now that Jongdae asked, he actually thought about it.

After a while, he went back to squeezing out the rag.

"Just don't hold back so much," he said eventually, not meeting his eyes. "The others are worried and your behaviour isn't exactly reassuring. You're kinda terrible at taking care of yourself."

For once, Jongdae didn't have a smart reply ready for him. The sudden silence was much more oppressive than the halfhearted banter had been, but Chanyeol didn't let it get to him, focusing on the task at hand instead. He applied a fourth wet pack to the other's leg, with Jongdae's shallow breaths being the only sound for quite some time.

"Did they do this for you?"

"Hm?" Chanyeol hummed, refusing to feel weird about feeling the other's slightly fuzzy calves under his fingers.

"Your family," Jongdae elaborated. "Did they apply these for you?"

"Sometimes," Chanyeol replied. It was odd how quiet both of them were, with no background noise or argument demanding otherwise. "And sometimes I was the one doing them for my sis. That's just how it works."

"I have a brother, too."

It had come out of nowhere, an entirely aimless statement.

Chanyeol looked up.

"I didn't know the Kims had two sons," he said slowly, trying to remember otherwise, but failing.

Jongdae was staring at the ceiling, face still flushed.

"He's an illegitimate kid," he hummed. "Sickish, too. I heard that the maids were tending to him a lot."

"You heard?" Chanyeol echoed carefully. It took a while for Jongdae to even digest his question, he could see it in the furrow of his brows.

"He lived in another wing of the estate. Didn't see him around a lot."

Chanyeol leaned back, hands coming to a rest on the last, dry rags.

It was absurd to picture having a sibling and not being allowed around them. It was even more absurd to think that a kid's entire existence would be kept under wraps simply because of it being a result of adultery.

To Chanyeol, whose parents had rarely been home, life without his sister was unimaginable. Sure, they had fought and argued and riled each other up countless times, but they'd always cherished each other at the end of the day. It was the two of them, whether they were angry at each other or not.

Jongdae seemed lost in thought, and it prompted him to lower his voice even more.

"Older or younger?"

"Younger," Jongdae replied immediately. "By two years. His birthday’s in April."

"Do you celebrate it with him?"

There was the shadow of a smile flickering over his expression, but it looked sad rather than happy.

"I send him something every year. He probably doesn't want to see my face."

"Why wouldn't he?" Chanyeol asked cluelessly. This time, Jongdae did meet his eyes, and there was something unreadable in them.

"I am the official successor to the Kim family. Whatever he does will always be compared to my results, and I don't have the luxury of slacking off. Use your brain."

Chanyeol looked away first, opting to prepare the last wet pack as he thought about this. Sure, the Kims were one of the most influential families in the country but it was hard to accept that they were _that..._ inhuman. That they'd shun their own kid and stir up a constant rivalry between them in an attempt to raise the perfect successor, stringing the bastard son along to have a replacement ready.

It was... upsetting.

Chanyeol got to his feet with an annoyed huff, but before he could take a single step, there was a hand grazing his thigh.

"Wait-"

Taken aback, Chanyeol looked down at Jongdae, whose eyes were resting somewhere around his torso.

"Hm?"

"Wait. Just a little longer," Jongdae said quietly, voice frazzling at the edges as he slowly lowered his hand again. "You just told me to be more upfront and I- I don't feel so good."

Chanyeol snorted, easily covering up all the weird things his mind and stomach were currently doing.

"You don't say," he commented, crossing his arms. "Like I'd leave a guy with a fever this high out of my sight. I'm just getting fresh water and towels."

"Oh," Jongdae muttered, clearly embarrassed. Chanyeol should be saying something comforting and reassuring, but all he could think of was running his hand through the others sweaty hair. It was something he'd do to his sister (mostly to annoy her), but with Jongdae, it came out awkward more than anything. Luckily for him, the other was barely conscious and had a hard time focusing on him.

"You just stay right there," Chanyeol hummed, grabbing the bowl and exiting the room. He wiped his hand on his pants only after the door was closed, absently going over the books he could take along to keep him company as soon as the other would fall asleep.

"What's his fever doing?"

Chanyeol jumped, almost dropping the bowl.

There, at the small wooden table nestled into the corner of their floor, sat Kyungsoo, an array of papers spread around him. His voice was even more subdued and low than usual, but his gaze was probing and attentive as ever. He truly gave off the vibe that lying to him was impossible. Not that Chanyeol needed to even try. Instructor Do Kyungsoo would never mock him for doing something for Jongdae, because he didn't care about their petty feuds. He was the embodiment of professionalism. Which was strangely reassuring.

"Still high,” Chanyeol admitted. “But the wet packs are working."

Kyungsoo nodded before going back to his paperwork; like the conversation had never taken place. Never before had the instructor bothered to voluntarily spend time outside of his own room. That fact alone had Chanyeol smile to himself as he entered the bathroom to grab fresh water.

Maybe he really had lucked out when being assigned to dorm three.

The memory of a comically helpless Yixing came to mind, followed by that of awkward Yifan, worried Jongin and grounding, caring Luhan.

It might be a pretty preposterous assumption (preposterous, who even uses this word?) but maybe... just maybe, Jongdae had lucked out even more.

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taking bets on who Minseok has taken an interest in! c:
> 
> Love,  
> Sugary


	9. Even

Jongdae's room wasn't nearly as empty as Chanyeol had expected it to be. It was neat, of course, and nowhere near as personalized as Chanyeol's own room, but through the course of the night, he couldn't help but let his eyes wander away from the book in his lap, eyes long adjusted to the dimmed lighting. And there were quite a few things to look at.

For starters, there was a small bookshelf containing what appeared to be non-fiction books, some of them familiar to Chanyeol, others not so much. The collection of the photography club was still resting on his desk though, giving the impression that it was meant to be returned soon; and on the bottom row of the shelf, he could spot three more hardcovers that looked artsy rather than scientific or historic.    
His weapon of choice was mounted on the wall, right above his bed - a personalized saber with intricate golden details glinting in the dim light. It looked majestic even from afar, and he had to resist the temptation to study it up close. There was a second, less impressive saber located in one corner of the room, and Chanyeol remembered it from the day before, when it had been pointed at his throat. A box of maintenance supplies was sitting next to it, standing out with its slightly stained tools and cloths

Surprisingly enough, Jongdae not only possessed an orbal radio, it was also positioned on his night stand, insinuating actual use of it. Chanyeol couldn't remember ever having heard so, but then again, he had never strained his ears for it.

All in all, the room was still rather sterile, with no photographs or pictures or the random assortment of memorables people like Chanyeol accumulated in an alarming amount of time. It didn't feel completely deserted though.

At around three in the morning, it started to pour outside.

Jongdae remained asleep, not even stirring when Chanyeol checked his temperature.

He looked less sickish in the dim, warm light, and his features were more relaxed than he'd ever seen, despite his obvious difficulty to breathe properly.

With his occasional, soft snores and sighs, he didn't look quite that perfect anymore. Just seeing him like this felt like trespassing, so Chanyeol tried not to pay too much attention as he carefully removed the wet packs. With a clean towel, he dabbed the skin dry over the faint little scratches and blemishes that seemed to culminate on his upper arms. Imperfect and oddly human.

Chanyeol blamed it on the light, on the serenading sound of rain and his own, growing drowsiness. The combination of all those aspects surely explained why he didn't feel the least bit irritated by being in Jongdae's presence. Quite the opposite.

In that very moment, Chanyeol felt nothing but a deep, almost comforting calmness.  
  
  


* * *

  
  


With the sun high up in the azure sky and Chanyeol being wide awake... he decided that this night had never taken place.

...well, that might be a little dramatic, but he could still erase the details from his memory. He'd helped out a sick guy, which was a perfectly upstanding thing to do, and now they could both mutually act like it never happened. It wasn't like he even expected anything else from Jongdae - if the other even remembered anything. His fever  _ had been  _ obnoxiously high.

It subsided after that night though, and when he first saw him at the breakfast table two days later, he looked almost perfectly recovered. Chanyeol internally gave himself a pat on the back for being a good nurse and moved on with his life, doing his absolute best to ignore the fact that the other didn't pick a single fight with him.

Which was surprisingly hard with how Jongdae seemed to be everywhere that day.

He was with them when they walked to the academy, staring holes into his head.

He sat with them to study in a free period, still staring a lot without saying anything - until Minseok thankfully found them and pulled Chanyeol aside to drill him some more about his 'pretty friend', much to his disturbance.

And he was  _ still  _ there when they were all gathered on the field, waiting for their combat instructor to arrive.

"Are you sure you want to participate again already?" Jongin asked, ever so worried.

"There's no need for concern," was all Jongdae said, looking haughty and collected as ever, stretching his arms behind his back. The familiar spark of irritation was back. How... nice.

Their eyes met and before Chanyeol could compulsively complain about his tone, Jongdae lowered his gaze again.

Chanyeol didn't even have time to dwell on it, however, because the other's eyes were back on him already, and now  _ he  _ was speaking up instead.

"Park-"

"Park Chanyeol!"

They both flinched, with Chanyeol switching to irritation in a split-second at the sound of a very unwelcome, nasal voice.

"What?" he demanded, turning around to see none other than Huang Zitao stomp towards them. He looked agitated - which was quite unfounded in Chanyeol’s opinion, considering that they hadn't interacted ever since the incident in the forest.

"I can fight my own battles," Jongdae began, only for Zitao to walk past him with long, determined strides and stop before Chanyeol, voice loud and clear.

"I challenge you to a duel."

Chanyeol blinked, too dumbfounded to get angry.

"Me? What?"

Zitao remained unfazed.

"A duel. Let's see how your skills compare to mine," he announced, and the fact that there was no smug smile tugging at his cat-like lips only added to Chanyeol's confusion.

"My sword-fighting skills?" he asked, just to be sure they were on the same page.

Zitao rolled his eyes.

"No, your sewing skills. Of course I'm talking about combat. Draw your sword-"

"Are you kidding?" Chanyeol asked, involuntarily taking a step back. "You'll wipe the floor with me."

"Again," Jongdae supplied helpfully from behind. Chanyeol shot him a withering glare.

"Well thanks for the reminder, I'm sure we all forgot-"

"Are you denying me?" Zitao cut him off, looking equal parts baffled and mad.

Chanyeol shrugged.

"Well. Yeah. What about it? I thought I was a useless sparring partner, anyway. Think I'm in the mood to eat dust just to satisfy your whims? I don't think so-"

"Don't you have any pride?" Zitao asked incredulously. It was quite comical how such a simple, blunt reply could take the wind out of his sails.

Chanyeol pretended to think about it.

"As a swordsman? Nah. As a human being? Well, kinda. So if you'll excuse me now, I'm busy here."

"You're  _ busy?"  _ Zitao echoed, clearly offended, and if not for the instructor starting their lesson, the other would have probably never backed down after such a blatant display of disrespect. As it was, however, he had to begrudgingly return to his noble posse, and Chanyeol was left to wonder what on earth had prompted this sudden interest in him.

He pondered that some more when their instructor chose him to showcase a defensive maneuver and Zitao enthusiastically volunteered to act out the part of the aggressor. As Chanyeol was kissing the ground a little too often for his taste, the other seemed to gloat over every single hit like it was an actual achievement. By the end of the lesson Chanyeol was covered in dirt, annoyed, and had forgotten all about Jongdae.

* * *

  
  


"Zitao really has it out for you, doesn't he?" Jongin asked a while later, while they were walking back to the dorms. It was all of them sans Yifan, who was still attending club practice, and the topic had quickly moved to Chanyeol's earlier humiliation.

"I don't know what his problem is," he huffed, kicking up a pebble.

"Maybe he's still angry over what happened in the forest?" Jongin suggested, causing Chanyeol to scoff.

"You mean  _ he's _ pissed over attempting to drown Luhan? I'd say that would be rich, but I guess being filthy rich is all he has going for himself, so-"

"I wouldn't have drowned," Luhan protested with a vaguely dismissive gesture, "...probably."

"But why would he be mad at you only?" Jongin pondered.

"I don't know, cause he hates me?" Chanyeol asked right back, only for Yixing to smile.

"Oh, I think he likes you."

"That is the most absurd thing I have heard in a while," Jongdae (of all people) commented.

Chanyeol hummed.

"As much as it hurts, I have to agree on that one. That's ridiculous, Xing."

"You think so?" Yixing asked, still looking awfully sunny. "I'm guessing he was most impressed by you and is now seeking to compete with you."

"Or," Luhan chimed in, dragging the word out, "-he still feels hurt in his pride and is obsessed with making you submit to mend his ego."

"Tough luck," Chanyeol snorted. "I haven't  _ submitted  _ to anyone so far, and I'm not planning on starting for this jerk. Over my dead body."

Yixing chuckled benevolently, effectively reminding Chanyeol once more that he was the only noble worthy of the power bestowed on him.

Jongin, however, seemed stuck on something else.

"Why though? I've been wondering about this for quite some time, and it's still not making much sense to me - everyone seems very afraid of nobles, but you don't. Why is that?"

"Yeah. Do your parents work for the royal family or something?" Luhan joked, really, but there was curiosity lingering in between the syllables.

Chanyeol waved him off, but figured that there was no harm in telling them at this point.

"It's nothing  _ that  _ dramatic. My parents both work for RF though, and are department heads."

While Luhan whistled and Yixing looked pleasantly surprised, Jongin was still lost.

"Isn't that... a company focused on technology?"

" _ The  _ company producing anything tech-related," Luhan corrected him. "At least on this continent. They produce everything from household orbal tech to war weaponry and have no competitors within the country. As a company, their influence is easily equal to that of nobles."

"I see," Jongin muttered, looking down at his orbal wristwatch which - of course - was another RF product. "So Chanyeol doesn't have to fear for his parents' workplace like Yifan does?"

"Exactly," Luhan confirmed, shooting Chanyeol a judgmental look. "Doesn't mean he isn't really pushing it sometimes."

Chanyeol shrugged.

"I'm not gonna stand by and watch when people are mistreated - and I'm not gonna have anyone walk all over me either."

"So you're taking the initiative, huh?" Luhan joked, and for a moment, Chanyeol mentally stumbled over the fact that the jab came from Luhan, not Jongdae. A fleeting look told him that Jongdae was staring at the ground, appearing disinterested in their conversation.

Weird.

"Anyway," Luhan yawned. "About dinner - what do you guys think of meeting at the restaurant at eight? I need to get some homework done still."

"That would be fine by me," Yixing agreed easily, and Jongin nodded. Chanyeol hummed in affirmation, but made sure to slightly fall behind as the conversation moved on to local dishes. Jongdae had already been trailing after them, but it seemed like his steps slowed down as well. It wasn't like Chanyeol was eager to get the snippy comments back - but if something was bothering him, it was best to get it out of the way as soon as possible.

Jongdae seemed to share the sentiment, judging by how he was once again the first to speak up.

"Park," he began, not meeting his eye.

Chanyeol parted his lips for a semi-snarky reaction when the air was pumped out of his lungs by a hearty clap on his back.

_ "Chanyeol!  _ There you are," Minseok said enthusiastically. Like he'd been looking for him.

Like Chanyeol wasn't doubting his eyes right now because seeing Minseok outside of the club house was surreal.  


"Uh... yeah?" he asked, feeling helpless under the sudden, very un-Minseok-like behaviour. The other was wearing his uniform for once, and it looked surprisingly clean. The tell-tale green commoner jacket was open and the sleeves slightly rolled up, showcasing a pristine dress shirt with subtle pinstripes that somehow managed to make him look even more mature. Even his unruly black curls seemed tamer than usual, and really, Chanyeol was surprised he'd managed to recognize him at first glance.

And then there was his dazzling smile.

"You didn't show up at the club today," he said conversationally, as if absolutely nothing here was out of the ordinary.

Chanyeol felt himself starting to sweat nervously.

"Errrno? Sorry about that?"

Minseok didn't seem to care much for his response though, as his eyes wandered past him, and then Minseok wandered past him, extending a hand.

"Luhan, right? We've met before but I don't think I had the chance to introduce myself."

Chanyeol had never seen anyone approach another in such a blunt fashion while coming across so devilishly charming.

Yixing shook his hand, wearing a mildly confused smile.

"Yixing," he introduced himself. "Nice to meet you."

The glare Minseok shot him over his shoulder was withering, to say the least, and Chanyeol suddenly didn't feel all that tall anymore.

"Eep," he muttered blankly.

To Minseok's credit, he took the misstep in stride and smoothly transitioned into introducing himself while Chanyeol discreetly slipped out of sight at the first opportunity.

Obviously, he wasn't needed anymore - and he didn't  _ want  _ to be around when Minseok needed him.

_ "The pretty one, _ he said," Chanyeol grumbled to himself as he walked back to the dorm on his own. "Should have been a little more specific..."

Again, Jongdae was forgotten for the time being.

* * *

"And  _ then  _ they decided to schedule a date," Luhan burst out incredulously, uncaring of any other potential restaurant visitors, supported by random gestures of his thankfully empty spoon. "Like we weren't  _ right there-" _

Watching Yifan squirm in his seat as he was trying to determine which reaction would be appropriate was amusing, to say the least.

Yixing didn't seem fazed at all.

"Meeting up for a cup of tea is hardly scandalous," he commented good-naturedly, and while Chanyeol had to agree, that didn't make their bluntness any less unusual.

"He seemed really nice," was all Jongin provided. He appeared a bit flustered over the subject, and Chanyeol wondered whether the highlands had different ideals and traditions when it came to... courting people. Because what Minseok had been doing definitely counted as courting, and an aggressive form at that.

"He's pretty chill," Yifan agreed slowly. "At least, that's what I used to think..."

"There is really no need to make such a fuss," Yixing brushed them off lightly, and Chanyeol sighed.

"But mom, don't your kids have a say in this as well?" he asked, the facade already cracking half-way.

Immediately, Yixing put up a concerned expression as well.

"Don't worry my dear," he began, softly placing a hand on Chanyeol's upper arm. "Nothing will change and your breakfast will always be done at seven in the morning sharp."

Chanyeol snorted.

"Shut up you two," Luhan groaned, but he was grinning as well. "If Yixing is the mom of the dorm, the role of the father would be taken already. It would clearly go to Kyungsoo."

"Not to you?" Jongin quipped, sparking an entire discussion on the role distribution of their imaginary family. Chanyeol valiantly fought for the role of the middle child, all the while enjoying a refreshing pasta soup. It was fun, sitting with a group of friends over dinner, chatting and laughing with everyone being drowned in warm, orange light. Sure, Chanyeol had had friends at home - plenty of them - but he could already feel that these new bonds were special. That he'd look back to moments like this one even years later. At least he really hoped he would.

"But what about Jongdae?" Jongin asked all of a sudden. They turned towards Jongdae, who hadn't said much the entire evening, and looked startled by the sudden shift in attention.

"Feel free to leave me out of this-" he began, but no one paid him any heed.

"The spot of the eldest brother is already taken by Yifan," Jongin hummed. "And if Luhan's the eccentric uncle and Chanyeol the youngest-"

"Hey-" Chanyeol whined, only to get ignored all the same.

"Yeah, Jongdae could be... hm," Luhan hummed, fingers drumming on the table as he thought hard.

"The cat," Yifan said, evidently regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth.

Luhan snorted, and Jongdae shot poor Yifan a  _ very  _ cool look, under which the other seemed to shrink.

"Uhm. Joking," he tried, but Yixing seemed delighted at the suggestion.

"Now that is a sweet one though! And quite befitting. You do remind me of a cat."

"I am not your pet," Jongdae complained, slipping out of his broody mood for the first time that day, and Yixing cooed.

"Of course not. Have you ever seen a cat that is truly a pet?"

"They do depend on others to feed them though," Luhan remarked with a small grin, and Jongdae drew up his shoulders ever so slightly, the lightest hue of red dusting his ears.

"Cats are hunters in case you forgot-"

"Brilliant - glad you like our choice," Luhan cut him off with a wide grin, and for a moment, Jongdae was utterly out of words. Maybe it was the late hour or the comedic timing or the look on Jongdae’s face, but something about it was simply hilarious to Chanyeol, who burst out laughing.

"Will you cease laughing?" Jongdae demanded, growing redder by the second. "You have just been labeled a  _ child,  _ so I don't see how you're in any position-"

"Youuu totally accepted your role as a the residential cat," Chanyeol snorted.

"I did not- this is ridiculous-" Jongdae stammered, looking slightly overwhelmed with the situation.

"I love cats though," Jongin added helpfully.

"Me too," Yifan agreed, though he didn't dare look up from his food.

"Such elegant, majestic beings," Yixing hummed, and Jongdae actually groaned.

"Stop it. All of you-"

Chanyeol couldn't stop though. He couldn't stop chuckling because all of this was fun. 

  
  
The warm and fuzzy feeling persisted until they left the restaurant an hour later, stepping into the crisp night air.

"I am stuffed," Chanyeol sighed as he stretched out his arms, feeling quite like a content cat himself.

"For real. I also feel like I've had alcohol instead of fruit juice," Luhan added, to which Yixing gave him a mildly scandalized look.

"Alcohol is prohibited for students, isn't it?"

_ "Right,"  _ Luhan dragged out mock-gravely. "Which is why I would never even think of drinking it. In fact, I've never even tried it before either. Not even once."

"I feel like you're not taking these rules seriously-"

"I've been drinking since I was twelve," Jongin merrily threw in. "It's custom to have a sip during festivities and-"

"Park?"

It had come out quietly, too quiet to be heard by the others, but it had been joined by the lightest touch to his shoulder, and Chanyeol turned immediately.

"Hm?"

Jongdae immediately gave him space again, careful to stay a step behind the others.

"Do you have a moment?"

He was doing this thing again, where he seemed torn between meeting Chanyeol's eyes and staring at the ground.

"Sure?" Chanyeol asked rather than stated, feeling dubious about the entire thing already.

Jongdae nodded to himself.

"Alright. Could we keep it between us?"

Weird. He was setting off Chanyeol's wariness antenna with the stilted, quiet way he was talking, but if there was one single thing they agreed on, it would be the fact that they didn't want to be seen together. So he fell back without a word, slipping into the next alleyway. This was his second successful escape of the day, and if his friends weren't so immersed in their conversation about alcohol, he'd gloat about his own sneakiness. 

"Let's take the route crossing the square," he muttered, still listening to the distant chatter. "Before they realize that they're horrible friends who keep losing half of the group along the way."

Jongdae didn't huff or complain, or said anything, for that matter. It was somewhat eerie, to be honest. For a long time, they just walked in silence, with Chanyeol quietly making up all the possible scenarios that could be awaiting him. Whatever it was, it was clearly related to the night two days ago.

Did Jongdae intend to complain about the unwanted help of Chanyeol? Him invading his privacy? Was he going to convey his anger over what Chanyeol had said, or threaten him to keep quiet about it, or throw a hissy fit over the way Chanyeol had ruffled his hair-

"I suppose I owe you an apology."

Chanyeol stopped in his tracks, with Jongdae narrowly avoiding bumping into him.

"Huh?"

They were standing near the square, and thanks to both streetlights and the full moon above them, he could take in the other's stoic expression, could see the way his rapid blinking betrayed it.

A quick, deep breath and straightened posture later, Jongdae was meeting his eyes again.

"I said I'm owing you an apology. In regards to Saturday night."

"Uhm. An apology?" Chanyeol echoed unintelligently, stumped by the sudden turn of events. Jongdae nodded, looking nothing but serious.

"I was not acting the way I should have. I'm not proud of it-"

"What are you even talking about?" Chanyeol cut him off, genuinely confused.

"This isn't funny, Park," Jongdae snapped, crossing his arms. "I’ll have you know that this was the most humiliating moment in my entire life."

_ "This?"  _ Chanyeol repeated in disbelief. "Well, gee, I guess I topped that before noon today. Are you bragging now? I mean, good for you?"

Jongdae pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath.

"However you would assess the situation, I'm hereby apologizing," he said with a certain finality.

Chanyeol had never been good at not having the last word, however.

He would not have anyone apologize to him for  _ being sick,  _ for god's sake.

"Of all the things you could be sorry for, this is a particularly dumb one," he insisted. "There is nothing to be  _ sorry  _ about."

To his surprise, Jongdae didn't fight back or berate him. He looked almost taken aback by the statement, eyes flitting to the ground. Chanyeol shrugged to himself, deeming the conversation over for now, and when he continued his walk to the dorm, he heard Jongdae trail behind him. They had crossed the square when he heard him speak up in a murmur almost too quiet to be heard.

"I hate to admit it but you're right."

"Hm?"

"I really shouldn't apologize."

Chanyeol hummed, wondering where this was going.

"It's quite disrespectful," Jongdae added. "And dismissive."

Chanyeol furrowed his brows at nothing in particular. What was he going on about now?

"I should be thanking you instead."

What?

Chanyeol turned, mind wiped blank.

Whether or not Jongdae was interpreting the silence as a demand was unclear. All he did was look him straight into the eye, with his perfect posture and even voice, radiating quiet determination.

"Thank you for... your efforts."

It didn't come out sarcastic at all, which might be the reason Chanyeol was completely void of a reply. How had he come to this conclusion? Was Kim Jongdae really thanking him right now?

Chanyeol could only stare at him as the seconds ticked by.

It took an entirety of five seconds for Jongdae to blink and lower his gaze again, clearly uncomfortable.

"I'm not going to repeat myself," he muttered. "And I'm considering us even now."

He parted his lips once more, but thought better of it.

"What?" Chanyeol asked, still wary, but Jongdae only shook his head.

"Nothing. That was all. I'm heading back to the dorm. If you'll excuse me."

"We're... living in the same dorm," Chanyeol commented, brain running on autopilot.

"And goddess forbid I might actually be able to forget about that for just one day."

"Sleep on the roof then," Chanyeol blurted out. "...kitty."

Jongdae looked quite offended and it was enough to have him walk ahead with brisk steps. Chanyeol didn't even try to catch up, content with lingering behind. It gave him a bit of the privacy he needed - but no matter how much he focused on the messy feeling in his stomach and head, he couldn't quite place it.

Even when he lay in bed later that night, it just refused to subside and let him sleep.

* * *

The day after, Chanyeol and Jongdae were well on their way of having a third argument before noon, and Luhan announced that they made him want to tear his hair out.

Things had gone back to normal and despite the lingering voice inside his head telling him to further evaluate everything, bickering with Jongdae was easy. Familiar. And he preferred it over the awkward silence.

Not like there was much time to think, anyway, with Kyungsoo announcing that they were scheduled for their first actual field trip. It was supposed to last three days and the locations for first years had been chosen at random. Or so he said, because Chanyeol refused to believe that much.

For their first field trip was going to Bareahard; a large, fancy town not too far from the school, known as a stronghold for the nobility, and, to their dorm, as the home of Yifan... and Jongdae.

Great. Just great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought about changing the names of the company and the city, in order to be less... annoying to people who don't know the source material. But then I figured that it really doesn't make a difference whether I come up with a new name or not.  
> Also I've always loved the name Bareahard. Something about it just rolls off your tongue nicely~
> 
> Anyway, I'm having a blast with this fic, as per usual ♡  
> Things are getting dire again regarding covid, so I'm doubling my wishes for you guys to stay healthy. We can do thiiis.  
> ♡


	10. Sheep & Shepherds I

It wasn't even six in the morning when the train rolled into the station, coming to a relatively quiet halt. The sight alone made Chanyeol feel wide awake.

He  _ loved  _ train rides.

"Alright, everybody got their ticket?" Yixing asked into the round, looking just as awake and chipper as ever. His response came in a mixture of confirmations, ranging from sleepy (Yifan) to alert and slightly nervous (Jongin) to whatever that noise was that left Luhan's throat. He already looked somewhat green.

"I'm not sitting opposite him," Jongdae announced to no one in particular, but Chanyeol was too distracted to engage in snippy banter as they all boarded the train, with instructor Kyungsoo following last. He didn't even bother to sit with them, instead opting for a different two seater - not that Chanyeol cared.

"I'll take the window seat!" he exclaimed, already squeezing past Luhan.

"Remind me of your age again?" Jongdae sighed, taking the other window seat. Chanyeol debated on whether or not the other was looking for trouble, but he'd rather have him opposite him than sit next to him. Jongin had no such qualms, easily slipping into the seat next to Jongdae, with Yifan filling up the last free spot. Luhan and Yixing were delegated to the four seater next to them, with Yixing already talking about relaxing tea and methods against motion sickness.

At least Jongin seemed to share Chanyeol's excitement.

"This is my second train ride," he explained, craning his neck to look out of the window so as not to miss the moment they left the station.

"It's great, isn't it?" Chanyeol sighed, watching the adjacent tracks move by, slowly picking up speed. Their ride would only take two hours but every hour spent on a train should be savoured in his books. Something about moving so fast was just so satisfying.

"Considering that we have quite some time now, why not go over the details of our trip?" Yixing offered after he was sure Luhan wouldn't empty his stomach any time soon.

"You mean the schedule?" Chanyeol asked, tearing his gaze from the greenery rushing by." Museums on the first day, Provincial Army tour and training on the second day, right?"

"We'll only have a tour with the Provincial Army," Yixing sighed, but there was no more than mild exasperation to it. "the actual training will take place at the headquarter of the Imperial Army."

"It's odd to me that two armies would be needed. It's just a regular town, right?" Jongin hummed, harmlessly curious as ever.

"Every one of the Five Great Houses has their own army," Yixing explained. "They answer to their house primarily and are tasked to support their province. The Imperial Army, however, is directly serving the royal family. They may not be present in large numbers, but in a town as large as Bareahard, they certainly have a small base."

Jongin made a thoughtful sound. He was never one to judge but Chanyeol could tell that the gears were ticking inside his head. Jongin may be polite and treat other cultures with utmost respect, but there was no doubt that he was making up his own mind on whatever he witnessed.

"And considering the royal family themselves are holding our school in high regards, it only makes sense for us to ask the Imperial Army for a lesson instead of a private army," Yifan added, and if he was any less well-behaved, he might have shrugged. "While the Provincial Army has the bigger base but no obligations and simply allows us a tour out of the kindness of their heart."

Chanyeol tried not to scoff. Right, out of kindness. Definitely wasn't related to the school sending the heir of the Kims himself. It defintiely wasn't the worst move, strategically speaking. If they got a tour now, surely the next group would get one as well. Jongdae quite literally opened doors for them.

"That makes sense..." Jongin trailed off.

"In any case, why don't you two give us a little insight on the town?" Yixing proposed, gently steering the topic back to where he'd originally wanted it to go. "It's your hometown, after all."

At this, Jongdae spoke up for the first time, shooting him a mildly dubious look.

"Haven't you been there before? I recall having seen you at a party or two."

"I salute your memory," Yixing quipped back, the noble tone laced with good-natured playfulness, "but attending the very rare festivity hardly counts as a vacation. I don't think I remember anything but the station and the inside of the estates the parties were hosted in."

Chanyeol tried not to judge Yixing, but seeing him interact with Jongdae always reminded him of how Yixing  _ was  _ a noble himself.

Jongdae exhaled, a sigh too small to be picked up over the steady rumbling of machinery around them. He glanced at Yifan, who shrugged and gestured for him to speak (because of course he did). So Jongdae sat up a little straighter - a small motion that was the only indicator he had been relaxing before this.

"Alright," he began, eyes lingering on Jongin in particular. "Bareahard is an old town. It has been formed in the Middle Ages and has largely retained its form since then. It holds some of the oldest buildings in the continent and due to their well-maintained state, it has become a place of public interest as of recent. Some people refer to it as the Verdant City due to the abundance of green roofs you'll no doubt notice. It is also known for its artisan district and the fine jewelry it exports."

Jongin nodded, and Chanyeol tried not to frown. He hadn't mentioned the most glaring fact about the city yet-

"It's also known to be a city of the nobility," Jongdae now added - as if this didn't directly concern him at all. "While the reformists may be on the rise in the capital, Bareahard is still unwaveringly loyal to the nobility-"

"Which makes up a good chunk of the population, anyway," Chanyeol commented dryly. Jongdae decided to tick him off by not taking the bait - at least not in the way he had expected him to.

"Indeed," Jongdae agreed instead, unreadable gaze flitting to him now. "Plenty of people of the highest ranks and names can be found in this city so for once, you might want to try using your brain before you speak, lest you might find yourself behind bars - and I'd be the last person to get you out."

Chanyeol huffed.

"Please. I'm not an idiot."

Raised eyebrows were all it took for him to feel his hackles rising.

"Believe it or not but I  _ am  _ capable of acting like a good, subservient citizen if I have to," he stated confidently. "Not like you actually get the choice not to be, growing up in this society..."

The last part was grumbled to himself more than anything, and while Jongdae didn't look entirely convinced, the others didn't give him a chance to push it.

"It's hard to imagine Jongdae's family commanding an entire army on top of overseeing such a large, important part of the land," Jongin mused out loud. "Are the tasks split between relatives?"

Jongdae shook his head.

"We do have a copious amount of administrative staff, of course, but all major decisions are made by my father."

"He must be an amazing man," Jongin commented freely, a smile tugging at his lips. One that looked decidedly warmer than Jongdae's own expression.

"It is a strenuous position," he said, effectively not saying anything at all, and that was that for him. Yixing took the hint and steered the conversation towards Yifan instead.

"Your parents have an orbal factory, right? I'm assuming you live close to the atelier?"

"Just a few streets from it, yeah," Yifan nodded. "The store's located in the Artisan district Jongdae mentioned earlier."

Chanyeol hummed, symbolizing that he was listening while simultaneously watching Jongdae who was seemingly focused on smoothing out non-existent wrinkles of his jacket.

"We should pay them a visit!" Jongin suggested. "You could stop by and say hi."

"I'm good. I mean, it's not a holiday," Yifan muttered evasively, "we actually have stuff to do and shouldn't venture out for personal matters like that-"

"Nonsense, we'll make some time," Yixing assured him right away, completely brushing over the other's obvious discomfort. "It would only be polite, right? Come to speak of it, would you like to visit home as well?"

Jongdae didn't even blink.

"There's no need."

"Too embarrassed to be seen with us, huh?" Chanyeol half-joked. "Though looking at Luhan right now, I kinda get that..."

_ "Fuck you,"  _ said boy rasped out with a deadly glare that would have been more threatening if his face wasn't nearing the color of their uniform.

"Well, we'll see when we get there," Yixing concluded amicably. "I'm sure we'll be able to make some time."

"I hope we do," Chanyeol admitted. "I  _ love  _ visiting orbal factories. They're so exciting."

"It's just a store," Yifan tried, but Chanyeol wouldn't hear it.

"Whatever your parents do, they're basically engineers! How cool is that?" he asked, genuinely thrilled. Ever since he'd left his hometown, his exposure to anything engineering-related had happened at the club - and while that was exciting and fun, observing the work of actual professionals always managed to fuel him further.

It took an hour and a pouty break in which Chanyeol watched Jongin and Yixing play for the first place in a card game for him to realize that he'd naturally assumed they'd only visit Yifan's home. Not because he'd hate to set foot in Jongdae's home - though he kind of did - but simply because something about Jongdae's behaviour made it very obvious that this wasn't even an option they had to concern themselves with.

* * *

Orbal trains were a rather new invention which meant that Bareahard station looked just like every other station, really. Jongin in particular seemed excited though, judging by the quiet grin spreading on his face. Chanyeol wasn't sure whether he shared his enthusiasm or not - on the one hand, this was his first real field trip to an unknown town... but on the other, the town in question was one that was very ready to punish him for letting on what he truly thought of their ruling class. Suddenly, Yifan's guarded nature made even more sense.

Chanyeol sighed, looking over the rest of his group. Jongin was a foreigner and Yixing would hardly get the struggle, of course, while Luhan seemed preoccupied with trying to calm down his upset stomach. Jongdae looked bored as ever - idly fixing his hair - and before Chanyeol could mock him for his vanity, instructor Kyungsoo exited the train after his brief talk with the conductor. Chanyeol had the lingering suspicion that he was good at melting into the background but to him, there was just something about instructor Kyungsoo’s aura that was hard to ignore. Maybe it was his military rigor and silent, attentive attitude that constantly made him feel observed and judged. The other was much shorter than him and yet Chanyeol didn't feel any of that as he turned towards him. The fact that he was dressed even more formally than usual only added to that.

"You got your schedule?" Kyungsoo asked curtly, and Yixing hummed.

"All there, sir," he confirmed almost playfully, seemingly immune to the other's everything. A part of Chanyeol wondered whether this counted as disrespecting an army member but Kyungsoo didn't bat an eye as he nodded once.

"Good. I expect you to be fine on your own, having two natives with you. Don't forget to write your reports tonight."

"Are you not- going to be with us?" Luhan asked, confusion outdoing the last remnants of motion sickness. His response came swift and unwavering, like it usually did.

"I have things to take care of. Don't embarrass the academy."

With that, the other turned to walk off towards the inside of the station without a single word of goodbye. Or encouragement, Chanyeol's judgemental side added.

"Gee, I'm so glad we’ve got professional guidance," Luhan muttered blankly, staring after him.

Jongin shrugged.

"Well, we got Jongdae and Yifan, right? What can go wrong?"

"Is that a question or an invitation?" Luhan winced, glancing in Chanyeol's direction. Who felt the heat crawl up his face immediately.

"If you could stop looking at me like that, that would be great," he quipped, trying not to sound pouty. "If  _ he  _ behaves, so will I."

"God, you even start to sound the same-"

"Excuse me?! Say that again-"

"First stop is the hotel, right?"  _ Jongdae  _ cut them off, crossing his arms. "It's not a long walk from here. We should go."

It went quiet after that, the mood deflating tangibly as they trailed after him. Luhan was exchanging questioning looks with people but Chanyeol only frowned to himself. Killjoy.

The little dip in their mood was quickly forgotten, however, when they stepped out of the station and onto a busy square. He bumped into Jongin, who had decided that now was a good time and place to come to a standstill.

"Oh- sorry," he muttered, stumbling after Jongdae, who hadn't paused at all.

"It's okay," Chanyeol said, and he meant it. The square was magnificent and it immediately confirmed Jongdae's earlier introduction - this city was  _ old.  _ Every single building was ridiculously large and carved from stone, with thick balustrades and intricate designs decorating every single one of them. Despite their age they were maintained perfectly and painted in shades of white and cream that made them gleam in the morning sun.

"This is some fairytale stuff," Luhan muttered, and Chanyeol hummed.

"It must be a pain to keep these houses clean."

"I suppose most large households here employ at least one maid," Yixing assured them, and Chanyeol swallowed. Right. Most people living here would be nobles, probably. In fact, he could already tell from the clothes they were wearing. Whereas the people inside the station had mostly been travelers or tourists like them, the very few people walking these streets were dressed in ridiculously fancy garments. He saw thick cloaks made of expensive-looking fabrics, pearls and golden tassels, fine lapels, bright colors, and shiny, impractical shoes. Sure, there were a lot of merchants around as well, setting up stalls and opening their stores, but even those looked marginally more formal than Chanyeol was used to. It really did feel like he had stepped into another world.

"Our hotel is located at the central plaza," Jongdae explained, curt and to the point. Ever since the train had arrived on the platform, he'd been more clipped than usual and on any other day, Chanyeol would have complained and demanded he remove the stick from his butt. Right now, however, he felt a little too uncomfortable to potentially start a commotion, with him being on completely foreign (and ridiculously well-cobbled) grounds. So he had to content himself by glaring a hole into the back of his head.

"The historical museum is right over there," Jongdae continued, pointing down a street while leading them around a corner, "and our hotel would be over here, with the sign in dark green."

If Chanyeol had thought the area around the station to be opulent, this square proved him otherwise - being built at the foot of a massive cathedral, he felt tiny even from afar. There was a fountain, stone statues and more buildings (all sporting an emerald roof indeed), but there was no time to take it in with Jongdae making a brisk beeline for the hotel.

"The plaza is usually busier around noon," Yifan remarked as if to console them. "You'll probably have more to look at then."

Unlike Jongdae, Yifan appeared to be more relaxed than he'd ever seen him. He wasn't slouching or anything, but whatever routine he had come up for himself, living in this town, seemed to not be uncomfortable at all.

Chanyeol wondered whether Yifan, too, sometimes felt small living in this town.

The moment they stepped into what could only be described as a high class hotel to Chanyeol, the closest staff member - a greying man in a perfectly pressed suit - grew wide-eyed.

"Master Jongdae- We- weren't aware you would be visiting," he stammered out, hurrying to bow.

Jongdae didn't tell him to stop or to lay off the formalities. He simply hummed in acknowledgment.

"Good day. Reservations have been made for us."

"Of course, of course," the man rambled, scurrying behind the counter where a stiff-looking lady was already pointing him towards a page in a large book.

"Of course," he repeated once more, a smile plastered on his face, "a group of Red Sun students has been registered. Six people, one instructor, two rooms. Yes. Oh, but- No, that can't be right."

Chanyeol could see the confused tick flash over the man's face, could see the nervousness in the way he pursed his lips.

"We'd never dream of housing the son of the Kims in anything but our finest suite-"

"This won't be necessary," Jongdae cut him off right away, voice leaving no room for argument. "I am here as a student today and I expect to be treated as such."

"Of course the offer extends to your... friends as well," the man added, and the pause was minuscule, really, but Chanyeol narrowed his eyes at him, anyway. Surprisingly, Jongdae was doing the same.

"As students of a  _ military  _ academy, a humble lifestyle is the more honourable one. Wouldn't you agree?"

Chanyeol would feel sorry for the nervous guy if he hadn't so subtly jabbed at them earlier. Now he was bowing again, agreeing and apologizing profusely, making for quite the pathetic sight - which turned even worse when the maid let him know that the rooms weren't ready yet. Jongdae brushed them off, and they agreed to leave their luggage and return at a later time.

But it only got worse after that.

The city was slowly rousing, coming to life around them by the time they exited the first museum on their list. And people were staring. Apparently, groups of Red Sun students were unusual enough and while some curious looks were thrown towards the commoners, it were the white uniforms that truly caught people’s interest - and a large chunk of the population seemed to recognize Jongdae. Sure, there were some people who hardly paid them any heed (some people who were actually busy, a snarky voice in Chanyeol’s head added), but there wasn't a single street where Chanyeol  _ couldn't  _ feel stares following them, whispers turning up as soon as they walked past, and it drove him up the wall. First Jongdae denied them a luxury suit - which, to be fair, was the right thing to do - and now he was the cause for people watching their every move. Chanyeol felt like the maid of a celebrity. 

When they entered the second museum on their list, the founder approached them immediately, giving them an individual tour.

Upon sitting down at a small, nondescript café, the barista was at their table within minutes, offering her creation like they were a group of critics. Most people would respect Jongdae's demands for privacy, but that only accounted for those getting close enough for Jongdae to voice them.

All in all, it was exhausting.

Around noon, they decided to let Yifan take the lead and show them to a restaurant with meals that were within their academy-issued budget. He agreed right away, and despite the obvious familiarity in his steps, Chanyeol could see a bit of the nervous strain having returned. It was quite ironic how being seen with "Master Jongdae" (Chanyeol scoffed internally) was making Yifan, the  _ commoner,  _ uncomfortable.

The only one who seemed entirely unaffected by the people around them was Yixing.

"What do you recommend?" he was just asking Yifan, shifting the menu so Jongin could get a look as well. Chanyeol wondered how he did it. Then again, maybe being noble but not  _ that  _ noble was the perfect position to be in right now. Or not. Really, Chanyeol was a little overwhelmed and just confused and sick of the nobility and their deprecatory looks - even though no one had dared to say anything to their face, not with Jongdae around.

"Pretty much everything," Yifan shrugged. "I tried almost everything on the menu and whatever I didn't have yet, my mothers did try and raved about. You really can't go wrong here."

Luhan hummed, eyes on the menu but mental gears ticking obviously, Chanyeol could see it in his sparkling eyes.

"So your parents must live nearby, right?" he asked in faux casualty. Watching the immediate regret tint Yifan's ears red was quite entertaining to watch. Chanyeol felt his mood brighten immediately.

"Right - we got some time now, don't we?" he asked in the round.

Yixing hummed amicably.

"I'd say so. We need to make a quick stop at the Army headquarters to confirm our training tomorrow but there's no need for all of us to be present. We could split up for a while."

"I'll be heading to the headquarters," Jongdae said immediately. Chanyeol scowled at him, not liking the natural dominance he was now using on  _ them  _ instead.

Yixing's smile remained unfazed though.

"Oh no, you don't need to," he assured him, voice sickeningly-sweet and yet strangely unrelenting. "I don't mind at all. In fact, I think it would be quite exciting."

"You don't know your way around this town," Jongdae argued, and to their surprise, Luhan chimed in now, the faux casualty still there.

"I'll join you, then," he announced. "We can meet up afterwards before the cathedral-"

"Neither of you knows the way," Jongdae began, but Chanyeol had enough of his attitude.

"Stop talking to us like you're the leader here," he snapped, trying to keep the volume down at least. "Just cause you're a bigshot here doesn't mean you can tell us what to do."

"How is this about me-"

"Exactly," Chanyeol cut him off. "It isn't. So zip it. If Yixing wants to go, he gets to go."

Yixing was still smiling oh so brilliantly, and while Chanyeol dug into his pasta (which was delicious), he was overcome by the lingering suspicion that he had just been used as a pawn. Both him and Luhan were having ulterior motives here. Probably. Maybe they just wanted to get rid of them and enjoy a relaxing walk around town... or something.

Either way, Chanyeol had blown off some steam, Jongdae looked mildly frustrated but was wordlessly picking at his grilled salmon,  _ and  _ Chanyeol was having amazing food and would get to see an orbal factory. Things were finally looking up.

* * *

The artisan district was really just one large street, and Chanyeol loved it. He loved the rows and rows of houses that were squished together, each of them magnificent but at the same time more individual and less showy than those on the main street.

He loved the many fine pieces of art and jewelry that were displayed in large windows and he loved the way the street was dropping down towards the western exit of the town, giving it a more winding, cozy feeling. People were staring less, too, or maybe Chanyeol was simply too distracted to be bothered.

"If you guys want to do some window shopping while I'm going in-" Yifan began, but neither Chanyeol nor Jongin were having any of it.

"Which of the stores belongs to your parents?" Chanyeol simply asked, while Jongin shot him a reassuring smile.

"I'm sure they do some amazing work."

Yifan groaned a quiet  _ "fine," _ to no one in particular, and took a rather sudden turn to stop in front of a tiny store. An old-looking, wooden display spelled out "Sapphirl & Carnelia" in swirly letters. It only had one window but the display made it look like two - the upper half was showing beautifully crafted circlets and necklaces, swirls of gold and silver embracing polished gems, while the lower half showcased weapons so ornate that Chanyeol wouldn't have been surprised to find them in Jongdae's possession. They looked no less valuable than his personalized saber (though he had to acknowledge that he was no weaponry expert and he shouldn't be making judgements based on fleeting looks alone).

Yifan didn't give them any time to study the displayed goods, simply pushing open the door and holding it for them. Jongdae trailed in last but Chanyeol refused to acknowledge him, instead giving into the urge to freeze at the sight of all the beautiful displays. He also decided to ignore the frustrated huff when Jongdae bumped into him. The store itself was thematically split as well, with one half being covered in blue tapestries, showcasing weapons of various kinds, while the right half was all red velvet and fine jewelry. In the center of it all was a counter with a young but serious sales assistant who looked up at the jingle.

"Welcome to Sapphirl and- Yifan?"

The formal, barely there smile was dropped for surprise... followed by worry.

"Shit, did they kick you out?"

"Hello to you, too, and thanks for that assumption," Yifan replied flatly, but there was a fun familiarity to it. "I'm on a field trip and felt like stopping by."

"You got nothing to do or what?" the boy quipped right back at him. Yifan didn't miss a beat though.

"Speak for yourself. When did you last clean this place?"

_ "This morning-" _

"And did that include the outside of the windows? Cause there's a lot of fingerprints on there."

The boy parted his lips, but closed them again, caught red-handed. Chanyeol snorted.

"I didn't know you're a tyrant."

It was Yifan's turn to look embarrassed.

"He started it-"

"No, I didn't-"

It was surprisingly cute, seeing these two very straight-faced guys bantering around. Maybe it was simply so endearing because seeing Yifan this comfortable was rare. There were also some dull noises coming from the back of the store, suggesting that people were at work somewhere.

"Anyway," Yifan began, clearing his throat. "That's Taeyong and he usually keeps the storefront. It's only him most of the time, though there's a second person we sometimes rely on."

"Right, including your mothers, that would make for enough staff," Jongin mused, but the Taeyong guy only mildly scoffed at that.

"Oh,  _ they're  _ not allowed in the front."

That was enough to tear Chanyeol's gaze from the most beautiful rifle he had ever laid eyes on.

"They're not?" he asked, mildly bewildered.

"Definitely not," Yifan muttered. "Anyway, you guys wait here, I'll make it quick-"

"Oh, you can just go in," Taeyong jumped right in, suddenly excited over the opportunity of getting back at Yifan. He even went as far as ushering them towards the back door with an obviously pleasant, fake smile, and by now, the curiosity was killing Chanyeol. Why did Yifan act so self-conscious regarding his parents?

The moment the door opened, Chanyeol was assaulted by a cacophony of noise.

"Take  _ that!" _

And Jongdae, who had silently trailed in last, was assaulted more literally, by something hitting his shoulder. Chanyeol jumped harder than Jongdae did.

"Oh shit," Chanyeol muttered, eyes flitting from Jongdae - who seemed fine enough, albeit taken aback - to the source of whatever had just hit them. It came in the form of a short woman crouching on a table(?) and holding up an actual shotgun. That was now thankfully lowered as her eyes widened in shock.

"Oh fuck-" she cursed freely, blowing a messy curl out of her face before spotting Yifan and making a high-pitched, delighted sound.

"Fanfan!" she exclaimed, jumping off the table and carelessly tossing the gun aside. She was even tinier like this, dwarfed in her overall and with her messy brown curls flipping with every step.

"If you think that's gonna count-" another, deeper voice chimed up as a second woman looked up from where she was hunched over a desk, "Holy shit. Yifan? Wait, is it winter break already?"

"It's not even autumn," Yifan muttered, clearly having trouble breathing with the comically shorter woman clutching him close - before all but ripping him away again to hold him at arm's length.

"How come you're here? Are these your friends? Oh god, you're all cute and pretty."

Chanyeol wasn't sure how to feel about being called cute by a tiny woman with streaks of dirt on her rosy cheeks, but he smiled politely, anyway.

"Uhm, hi. I'm Park Chanyeol," he began, which prompted Jongin to introduce himself as well while the second woman walked over to them. She looked very different from the first one with her bronze-colored teint and the shiny black hair - she appeared to be taller, too, but on closer inspection, that was due to her wearing extremely shiny-looking high heels. For some reason.

"Jongdae," was all their last addition said, curt and to the point as usual. Chanyeol couldn't help but notice the fact that he hadn't mentioned his last name though-

"Your uniform looks kinda washed out, dear," the second woman quipped, crossing her arms to raise a judgemental brow. "Could use a dye job."

The expression on Jongdae's face was somewhat comical, but Yifan jumped in straight away, going so far as to half-shield Jongdae from them.

"It's supposed to look like that," he gritted out. "Nobles have their own uniforms-"

"I know, I know, I was just joking," the woman cut him off, slapping his shoulder with a grin. "Gee, relax a little. I thought finding friends and stuff would loosen you up a bit-"

"I am  _ perfectly  _ relaxed-"

"I think we're embarrassing him," the first woman sighed dramatically, and if Chanyeol hadn't seen this woman aim at them with a shotgun just a couple minutes earlier, he would have bought it.

"You just shot my classmate," Yifan sighed, sounding like the roles were reversed.

"With a rubber bullet. Big deal," the tiny woman countered, even rolling her eyes to top it all off.

"What are you even doing here- have you been slacking off ever since I left?" Yifan continued, taking a walk around the workshop - which proved to be a challenge already, considering the amount of...  _ stuff  _ that was everywhere. "How did you make such a mess again-"

"I know exactly where everything is-" shotgun woman began, trailing after him while the second woman offered her hand with a casual smile.

"Hyejin, by the way. And that's Wheein," she explained while Chanyeol and Jongin shook her hand. Even Jongdae didn't seem inclined to make a fuss at the very casual gesture and mechanically took the offer. "I'd say he isn't always like that, but considering that you live with him now, I can probably save myself the effort."

Chanyeol was certainly not going to tell her that Yifan was perfectly average when it came to tidiness and that by regular standards, he wasn't even particularly stuck up, but Jongin had no such issues.

"He's really reliable and kind indeed," he stated with enthusiasm, all the implications flying right over his head. Hyejin actually grimaced at that, before softening again and actually ruffling his hair.

"God, you really are cute. Damn. You know what? Seeing you like this makes me feel like..."

She turned to her desk, quickly returning to put something over Jongin's head (who had cautiously pulled up his shoulders at the sudden gesture).

"Yeah. That's some harmonious colors," she hummed, taking a step back to critically take in the way a beautiful golden circlet was resting on Jongin's curls. It really did look beautiful with the green stones against Jongin's warm skin tone-

Something crashed, the sound loud enough to have Chanyeol and Jongin jump out of their skin as Jongdae only barely caught the priceless piece of jewelry before it slipped to the ground. Somewhere behind them, an entire shelf had collapsed and they heard the distinct sound of a lot of tiny objects prattling to the ground like metallic rain drops.

For a whole of two seconds, it was silent.

"You-  _ why  _ did you think taking the bottom support plank to secure  _ anything  _ other than the shelf would be a good idea?! Why?"

"I needed a piece of wood and that one was the perfect shape," he heard someone whine from somewhere in the mess. "It was all holding up perfectly til  _ you  _ broke it-"

_ "Til I broke it?!" _

"There goes my perfectly sorted collection of parts," Hyejin sighed. "All that procrastination. For nothing."

Jongin, being the good kid that he was, immediately offered to help clean up. Chanyeol didn't consider himself nearly as well-mannered as Jongin but there hardly was a way around it, so he simply resigned himself to his fate when Yifan's mother exclaimed what a fantastic idea that was, and how much faster they’d get it done with so many helping hands.

While the two scurried to the back of the workshop, however, Chanyeol stayed behind to look for Jongdae, who was still standing in the doorway, holding on to the circlet like he was being paid for it.

"What, are you gonna stand around and let us do all the work?" he all but demanded. It was apparently enough to snap Jongdae back into it.

"...No?" he stated, aiming for aloof when it was obvious that he was fresh out of witty replies. Chanyeol watched him place the circlet on a desk with utmost care, as if he feared the wood itself might collapse under his fingertips before following after him. Since he couldn't see it, anyway, Chanyeol didn't feel guilty over the small grin on his lips.

Seeing Jongdae out of his element was way too entertaining.

* * *

  
  


"Last one?" Chanyeol asked a solid hour later, with Jongdae handing him a box containing golden rings.

"Yes," was all he said, exhaustion very much evident in his voice.

For once, Chanyeol wasn't in the mood to belittle him or keep up the pretense. He put the box back onto its newly designated (and very stable) shelf before slumping against the wall with a sigh, sliding down to sit on the ground.

"Quick break," he sighed out with his eyes closed, waiting for the kaleidoscope of shiny parts to dissipate. By the time he opened them again, Jongdae was crouching next to him, careful not to let his pants unnecessarily touch the ground. A futile effort, really, since they, as well as the rest of his uniform, looked like he had attempted to oil the motor of the engineering clubs’ bike.

"You look like shit," he snorted.

"Full of compliments as ever," Jongdae fired right back with a glare. "Whatever happened to the honourable look of manual labor?"

"It happened to you, I'd say," Chanyeol grinned.

Jongdae did not bother to reply to that, and for a moment, it was quiet. Behind the wall they were sitting against, they could hear Yifan and his mothers walk around in the back of the atelier while Jongin had wandered off to take out the trash (which had mostly been designated as such by Yifan). The fact that he hadn't returned yet probably meant that he'd been distracted by a stray cat or something.

They heard the distinct sound of heels on wood as Hyejin came closer.

"I'm glad to see you've been making friends though. We've been a little worried, you know?"

"Mom," Yifan sighed, and the footsteps stopped.

"She's right and you know it," Wheein added softly, every trace of her earlier, playful attitude gone in favour of motherly concern. "You also know we love everything about you, but it'll do you good to let loose a little, you know? No need to be so careful with everyone and everything."

Chanyeol stared at his feet, feeling like an intruder - but making his presence known now would only make things more awkward. Next to him, Jongdae wasn't moving a muscle either.

Meanwhile Yifanonly groaned.

"And maybe it would do you two good to be a little  _ more  _ careful. You just targeted the son of the Kims with rubber bullets."

A quick glance told him that Jongdae had stiffened up next to him.

They only heard a vaguely interested hum though.

"Ah, so he's the kid of the Kims?" Wheein asked.

"Don't 'ah' me now," Yifan sighed, keeping his voice low. "This is why I'm telling you guys to be more careful - do you realize that his father owns this entire town?"

"Yeah, but does he own you?" Hyejin replied without skipping a beat. "Or us? I don't think he does. I know you're always worried about us but it will be alright."

"You need to remind yourself that there would not be any nobility without people like us," Wheein added, sounding patient and gentle still. "They may herd us and we let them but generally speaking, it's not in the interest of a shepherd to cut down on his herd for no reason. Not everyone is constantly out to get you. Or us, for that matter."

"But-"

"It's an option and a prevalent risk, you're right," Hyejin cut him off with what sounded like a patient routine. "But what good does your caution do you if you can't breathe easy? You got some big lungs that need a decent amount of air or else your brain is gonna fail you-"

_ "Mom-"  _ Yifan began, and Chanyeol could  _ hear  _ him roll his eyes.

"You're welcome," Hyejin said generously. "Besides - that big son of the Kims? He's just a boy your age."

There was a tick of tension in Jongdae's shoulders but Chanyeol didn't risk more than a fleeting gaze.

He heard a small chuckle probably belonging to Wheein.

"Maybe even a boy who could need a friend, hm?"

Yifan sighed.

"Why are you like this?"

Under all that exasperation, he sounded rather fond though. It made Chanyeol smile - a smile that faded slowly when Jongdae got to his feet without a sound, making his way to the front of the store.

It was moments like these when he was reminded of the fact that he had no idea what was going on in Kim Jongdae's head. He was doing alright when the other was throwing verbal jabs his way but as soon as the other went quiet, Chanyeol was lost. Was he angry? Over the disrespect of his name, or the fact that they had labeled him a little kid? Was he uncomfortable and sick of eaves-dropping? Chanyeol simply had no idea.

Jongdae had barely made it to the storefront when Yifan almost stumbled over Chanyeol upon rounding the corner - only to proceed to die of humiliation over being heard. The general level of noise was already on the rise again when Yixing and Luhan came to get them soon after, with Jongin in tow (having separated him from the  _ family  _ of stray cats he'd been bonding with,) and it went through the roof after that. Both of Yifan's mothers were cooing over Luhan to the point that he actually turned very red and Chanyeol wasn't surprised to see Yixing charm the two women right away with his well-mannered but playful attitude. It was also Yixing who wordlessly lent Jongdae his own, unblemished jacket for the walk to the hotel later.

They had only meant to quickly unpack their things and change into their clean, spare uniforms; upon seeing the room, however, one thing led to another, involving a quick sortition game using Luhan's card deck. Which in turn led to Chanyeol gaping at his supposed friends.

"No. No way. Are you serious? Like, are you actually not gonna switch with me? With him? Are you for real?"

Jongin opened his mouth but Yixing effectively shut him up with an arm around his shoulders. Luhan had the audacity to laugh, and even Yifan was holding back on a grin. Which was cute and all, and Chanyeol did see how he was supposed to be happy for him being so comfortable, but why did it have to come at  _ his _ expense?

"Tough... luck," Luhan breathed out, looking terribly gleeful. Chanyeol could only gape.

"I want the luxury suit  _ now,"  _ he eventually grumbled, still unable to compute.

"And I want something for my headache," Jongdae muttered.

Chanyeol didn't even bother to hiss at him that this was his fault. Sure, it might be a bit of a stretch, but he could have very well drawn a different card earlier.

Now Chanyeol was apparently forsaken to share a bed with Kim Jongdae, of all people, and he was starting to wonder whether he had done anything to upset the gods.

As if this field trip over the landmines of social upper class etiquette wasn't already bad enough.

Chanyeol made a pathetic, whiny sound that only seemed to further amuse Luhan, thinking that maybe he was the one who was in need of (new) friends.

  
  



	11. Sheep & Shepherds II

Chanyeol had always had a lot of friends as a kid. No matter whether he was six or fourteen, chubby or lanky, he'd never had any trouble finding friends. Having sleepovers was nothing out of the ordinary for him. He was a bit of an annoying person to share a bed with, apparently, but he was pretty low-maintenance and could make due with just about anything.

Whether or not that included sharing a bed with Jongdae was a different matter entirely though. It wasn't like he was... scared of the other or anything. Or disgusted. There really was hardly anything to be disgusted about, considering the other was ridiculously fussy regarding hygiene and was probably more groomed than an award-winning horse.

No, it was simply that sharing a bed felt so... personal. It would be ridiculous to label it 'intimate' even though it kinda felt like it.

What was even more annoying, however, was that his friends clearly intended to have them force-bond. Or maybe they just wanted to gain some entertainment from watching them squirm. Either way they had made it very clear that should they not be able to get along, they could feel free to sleep on the floor instead (Luhan's words).

Chanyeol didn't appreciate being forced to do things, and as he was sitting in the bathroom, toweling his hair dry, he was still pondering which course of action would be the spiteful one  _ now.  _ Was he supposed to act like it's not a big deal just to disappoint them? Or should he and Jongdae be extra insufferable, to teach them a lesson?

The first option would bruise his pride a little, while the second would be stressful, but very easy to slip into. People liked to blame Chanyeol for all their quarrels, and so far, Yixing seemed to be the only one observant enough to notice and comment on the fact that Jongdae was indeed responsible for them as much as he was. Not only did Jongdae indulge every comment thrown his way with smooth, spiteful replies, he also definitely took pleasure in taking the initiative to make verbal jabs at Chanyeol when he was feeling bored.

He paused in his movements when he heard a muffled voice coming from the hallway.

"I'm sorry about earlier."

It took him a moment to realize that it was Yifan speaking, and another second to make the terrible decision of hiding around a corner of the bathroom when the door opened.

"About what exactly?" he heard the typical drawl of Jongdae echo around the bathroom. This would be the perfect moment to walk past them and leave, but his legs didn't move as he  _ heard  _ Yifan mentally flounder.

"You know," he began, clearly agonizing. "My mothers. They don't mean any harm. They're just a little... like this."

"I don't know what you're apologizing for," Jongdae replied swiftly, with a rustling of clothes suggesting that he was undressing. "You should be proud of them just like they are proud of you."

There was no hesitation in his voice, but something about it sounded slightly off, anyway. Like it had to be pushed out quickly, hoping to slip by unnoticed. It was very uncharacteristic.

Yifan didn't give a verbal reply for the longest time, and when he did, it was surprisingly close-

"I guess you're right-" he muttered, only to bump into Chanyeol. It was hard to say who of them flinched harder.

"Oh god, how long have you been standing there?"

"I mean, I was here first," Chanyeol trailed off awkwardly. A mop of chestnut-colored hair peeked around the corner if only to shoot him a judgemental look.

"I'm  _ not  _ a voyeur," Chanyeol insisted, feeling the heat crawl up his ears already.

"The fact that you even know this word suggests otherwise, but sure," Jongdae commented drily, already strutting past him as if the conversation was officially declared over. Which, to be fair, was very much the case, considering that the other wasn't wearing anything other than a towel. Chanyeol scurried off, grumbling something to himself about nobles always assuming they owned the place, but it was mostly for show, to distract from the fact that the little exchange was still echoing around his head.

You should be proud of them.

It didn't sit right with him to admit it - even just to himself - but it was nice of Jongdae not to make a fuss about Yifan's parents having zero sense of formality and hadn't given him even the slightest special treatment. Basic human decency? Well, yes, but that was not something one could expect of people of Jongdae's rank. Especially considering how eager this entire town seemed to kiss his feet.

The mere thought made him want to roll his eyes. Visiting Bareahard might only be half as annoying if not for Jongdae being with them. Then again, some cranky noble might have picked a fight with them. And it was not like Jongdae himself seemed to enjoy visiting his hometown. Ever since they had exited the train, he'd been even more stuck up and insufferable than usual, really. More bossy, too. If not for them walking a social minefield, Chanyeol would have given the other a piece of his mind already-

...but he had decided not to give Yifan a hard time, so Chanyeol would play nice. At the end of the day, they all just wanted to return to the academy without unintentionally having started a civil war.

That only left the question of why the other's tone had been so ambiguous earlier. It was hard to imagine stuck up, prissy Jongdae genuinely  _ liking  _ Yifan's parents.

It was a little annoying how much of his brain capacity was dedicated to trying to decipher Jongdae, but now that he'd started, he refused to stop until he'd found an answer.

God, if only this guy would be a little more transparent. But no - with Jongdae,  _ everything  _ was ambiguous. How anyone could be so brazen and straight-forward while simultaneously saying nothing at all was mystifying. And mildly infuriating.

He'd love to just shake the boy's narrow shoulders and demand him to clarify what exactly he thought of Yifan's mothers and why he'd been so weird about them - but that would feel like losing. No, Chanyeol would learn to understand without admitting out loud that this was bothering him in the first place.

With a small groan, he buried his face in the cushions of his stupidly luxurious hotel bed.

"Giving up already?" he heard Luhan ask from the other end of the room, voice sickeningly sweet. Chanyeol lifted his head to glower at him.

"And have you win your bet? In your dreams."

To his utmost satisfaction, that put a dent in the other's smug expression.

"What bet-"

"Don't even bother," Chanyeol sniffed, turning over to face the wall and keep his own, satisfied grin hidden. "You're way too eager about this and I'm not an idiot. Jongin and Yifan are too nice to make bets, which leaves Yixing, who probably bet on us getting along. Serves you right for putting such little faith in me."

"Not like anyone could fault him for it," Jongdae piped up as he entered the room, brushing down his now wet hair.

"You didn't even listen," Chanyeol began, ignoring the odd fluttering sensation in his stomach when Jongdae stopped at the foot of the bed, all arched brows and flushed cheeks.

"It was a statement that deserved support either way - besides, who said you could sleep on  _ that  _ side? Did you miss my book on the shelf or did you choose to ignore it?"

"Oh, don't worry, I noticed it alright," Chanyeol replied in fake obliviousness. "I put it on your nightstand."

He watched him take a deep breath, obviously considering whether or not fighting Chanyeol would alleviate his headache or drive it home further. Chanyeol stared back at him, daring him to complain, but ultimately, Jongdae sat down on the other side with a light shake of his head. With a shrug, Chanyeol sat up to grab his own book and a pen to take some notes for his report. If he wanted to feel like the bigger person, so be it. This side was cozier and Chanyeol didn't intend on giving up on it.

Being relatively close, he heard the small sigh from his right.

"Not only is your hair still wet, but you're also doing your work in bed. Why am I not surprised."

Chanyeol rolled his eyes for real this time.

"It's a notepad and not a full breakfast. Relax."

When Jongdae only shot him a mildly judgemental look, he blankly added, "that means to take that stick that's lodged up your-"

"I know what that means," Jongdae cut him off icily, only to get to his feet again with an exasperated groan. "I'll go dry my hair."

It lacked his usual wit, and Chanyeol had a fair idea of what to blame the lack of bite on.

"Don't be so harsh," Yixing spoke up as soon as Jongdae had closed the door behind him, placating and gentle as ever. "Today was quite exhausting for all of us."

Chanyeol knew Yixing well enough to know that while he was referring to all of them, he really had Jongdae in mind.

_ "You  _ don't seem very exhausted," Yifan commented from where he was sitting on his bed. It was unusually... poignant by his standards and Yixing actually chuckled.

"Is that so? Well, I can assure you I'm looking forward to getting a good night's sleep."

"Didn't even refute that Chanyeol just accused him of being the type to make bets," Luhan muttered, sharing Yifan's dubious expression.

"Someone's bitter over losing said bets," Chanyeol teased vindictively, while Yixing retained a sunny expression.

"Aren't you guys lively tonight?"

"Jongin," Luhan groaned in free petulance, "Say something!"

Next to Yixing, Jongin looked up from his book.

"Hm?"

"Yixing is bullying me!"

Jongin blinked.

"What? Yixing has to be the nicest person I've ever met," he admitted freely, causing Yixing's smile to grow even more candid.

Chanyeol ignored their bickering and simply finished off his notes, refusing to acknowledge Jongdae slipping under the covers a while later, smelling like vanilla and flowers. Both bed and blanket were rather generously-sized so technically, they wouldn't even brush sides if he was being a bit mindful. And if he wasn't as tall as he was.

He sniffed.

Well, Chanyeol was nothing if not determined to make this work, and if it meant waking up with cramped limbs for one day, so be it.

As he was adding a section about their tour at the orbment factory, he had to sneeze.

"Bless you," Yifan yawned.

"Gross," Jongdae sighed.

Chanyeol sniffled again, willing the itch down.

"Okay, look," he began, paused as he suppressed another sneeze, and finally picked up again, "I don't know what kind of fancy stuff you're dumping over your head, but it just- it's-"

He sneezed again.

"Allergic reaction?" Jongin asked sympathetically. "We can still swap places-"

"No," Chanyeol cut him off, both hands on his face now, pressed against his nose as he willed himself to just breathe through his mouth instead. "I'm fine. All good."

If he gave up now, Luhan would win. It was dumb and he knew it, but losing was simply not an option. So he placed his work utensils aside and laid down properly, facing the wall and burrowing his nose in the blanket to escape even the last molecules of whatever sinfully expensive shampoo the other was using.

"I didn't know your nose was  _ that  _ sensitive," Jongdae said, but it was a halfhearted jab at best. Chanyeol didn't dignify him with an answer.

He was honestly hoping to fall asleep before the lights were switched out, leaving him to actually be aware of the slightest jostling whenever Jongdae turned, or of the vaguely uncomfortable breeze of air suggesting the other was still sitting with his knees raised.

At first he thought he'd be having no such luck, with time seemingly stretching on forever as he lay there with his eyes closed, listening to the soft chattering of his dormmates.

Then he came to, however, and it was evidently morning.

At least he gathered as much from how sleep seemed to sit in his every bone, and how cozy and warm he was feeling. Despite his best attempts, he'd woken up on his back, one leg folded in. It was then that he realized the warmth against his other, outstretched leg was more than just the blanket reflecting his own body heat; there was a calf resting against his. It was obviously an accident, and by the time Chanyeol had pinpointed the source of heat, he'd already been lying there for quite some time already. He should move. He should have moved right away, but all he did was lie there, taking deep breaths. Feigning to be asleep, really.

Unlike Chanyeol - who preferred to sleep in shorts and t-shirts - Jongdae had been wearing a very proper pajama, complete with buttons and everything. Which was why it took him a moment to realize that his pant legs must have slipped up because there was smooth, warm skin against his. He was reminded of the night when he'd applied wet packs over his slightly fuzzy legs. Maybe he'd shaved. Or waxed. Or whatever it was that nobles did.

Honestly, this situation was ridiculously harmless and had no right feeling as strangely thrilling as it did. To feel as  _ forbidden  _ as it did.

He wasn't a pervert, was he? He hadn't initiated this, and considering his rather self-contained posture, it was likely Jongdae who had shifted his leg over his in his sleep. Chanyeol had simply woken up and hadn't moved yet. No fault to be detected there.

Aside from the fact that he was dragging this out deliberately, that is. He felt half-asleep still, clinging onto the haziness as an excuse to just... enjoy the mix of sensations this was giving him. In a dream, he could move his leg now, just rubbing against the warm skin ever so slightly, push a little further, drown a little more-

"Morning."

Chanyeol twitched away from Jongdae like he'd been burnt, sitting up straight within a second with his heart beating so hard he felt it in his throat. Luhan, who'd evidently been talking to Yixing, shot him a somewhat accusatory look.

"And good morning to you, too," he commented drily.

"You- caught me off guard," Chanyeol began defensively, refusing to look Jongdae's way as the other sat up slowly.

Luhan shot him a dubious look.

"Is that what you tell your alarm clock as well? We should really be getting ready if we want to be at the base on time."

He nudged Yifan, who's only reaction was a gravelly-sounding grunt, which only barely contrasted the indistinguishable sounds coming from Jongin.

"It's just a thirty minute walk from here so we'll be fine," Jongdae stated, clearing his throat to smooth the sleep out of his voice.

As Chanyeol slipped out of bed and into a fresh pair of socks, he couldn't help but notice that Jongdae sounded far too awake for someone who had supposedly been startled awake mere seconds ago. Since the implications of that thought were way too embarrassing to deal with, he decided to ban them from his head along with the entire morning.

All of this could just vanish like a dream dissipating under the pressure of consciousness.

That's what he told himself at least.

* * *

The headquarters of the provincial army were in the heart of the noble district. There was really no need to point out that much but Jongdae did it anyway, continuing his quiet city tour, every bit as curt and to the point as he'd been the day before. Chanyeol would be a liar to say that the other's restrained attitude wasn't making him somewhat nervous - the noble district was essentially his neighbourhood, so there shouldn’t be a reason for him to walk like he was entering a royal gala with every spotlight shining on him. To be fair, Chanyeol had to constantly remind himself that this was an area the other should be used to; that this was a place one  _ could  _ get used to. It was impossible to truly believe it, though, walking the pebbled streets of the richest district Chanyeol had ever set foot in. Every single building looked like a mansion large enough to fit three families. There wasn't really a room for luscious gardens (he suspected those to be located on the backsides) but the luxury was still noticeable enough to be surreal. There were no stores or performers or children drawing on the ground with chalk. In fact, it was eerily quiet. Despite the streets not being nearly as large as the main streets, they felt bigger, and strangely empty. It was simply rows and rows of buildings large and opulent enough to pass for a governmental building where Chanyeol was from, all melting together like parts of a castle, really, with the only sign of life being a few maids and butlers bustling around somewhere on the vicinities.

It was utterly ridiculous.

"Are these residential buildings?" Jongin asked into the slightly tense silence, just as they crossed a picturesque bridge over a stream.

"Yes."

It was all Jongdae said about that, and since he didn't follow it up with some form of assessment or judgement, it was hard to tell what he was thinking of them.

Chanyeol kept staring at the buildings as they walked past them, taking in the polished fences and old stone structures decorating the buildings. There was no way a person could grow up in this place and not become a stereotypical noble like Zitao. Something about these houses, about the idea of living in them, was somewhat uncomfortable. Because deep down, Chanyeol knew everyone felt a greed for luxury, being pulled towards it like moths to fire - only to either constantly flutter around the light with no purpose or burn themselves out entirely. They felt like a thinly disguised trap, and yet the security that he, like so many others, would never get to suffer from falling for it... stung.

Chanyeol swallowed the thoughts, focusing on the task at hand instead. There would be plenty of time to allow his thoughts to wander when he  _ didn't _ feel like walking across a silver platter for powerful people to judge.

"Oh, is it over there?" Jongin asked in casual interest. Chanyeol was truly grateful for his presence right now. Luhan was being more quiet than usual as he took in the absurdity the nobility called their homes, looking vaguely judgemental, while Yifan gave Jongdae a run for his money with his very own impression of a walking stick. And while Yixing acted quiet and reassured as ever, he was, well. A noble. Having someone as removed and optimistic as Jongin with them was comforting.

Jongdae followed the other's gaze to the large stone path leading up to what appeared to be a stone wall worthy of protecting a castle. His expression twitched, the emotion flitting by too fast to be read.

"No."

"I'm guessing this is Jongdae's home," Yixing filled in the gaps, sounding calm, but more subdued than usual. Chanyeol could tell he wasn't the only one glancing back towards the enormous stone ramp, but no one said a word about it.

Chanyeol had naturally assumed the ramp would lead to another district, maybe even to an airport, but-

"We're here."

They had stopped before a building that would have blended in with the more stoic-looking apartment buildings, but the banners and soldiers stationed outside suggested otherwise.

Deep down, Chanyeol had always thought that the provincial army was some sort of knock off version of the imperial army - it must lie in their colorful uniforms and fancy helmets that seemed to put more weight on aesthetics and reputation than functionality. Oh, and the fact that the general public put more trust and faith in the other,  _ real  _ soldiers. It was much easier to respect those who had trained hard to stand on actual battlefields over the individuals who reigned in regular civilians, more often than not abusing their power. But as the two soldiers saluted, emanating a ridiculous amount of attentiveness and professionalism for two people who did nothing but watch the gates of what had to be the least likely place for a crime in all of Bareahard... Chanyeol couldn't help at least reconsidering his prejudices. Though they might just be putting on a show for Jongdae.

"Good day, young master," one of them spoke up. "It's nice to see you again."

Jongdae nodded.

"Sergeant Suh, Sergeant Qian."

It was a clipped exchange but it lacked the awkward vibes Chanyeol had gotten from just about every other conversation he'd witnessed Jongdae having so far in his hometown.

Before they could say another word, the door opened to reveal a middle-aged man wearing a uniform and badges suggesting a higher rank. Not that Chanyeol had a lot of attention left for those details, with how the other made a beeline for Jongdae, wearing a disarming, relaxed smile.

"Jongdae! There you are. I would have expected you to show up yesterday."

To their surprise, Jongdae's expression not only softened, there was even a small smile ghosting on his lips.

"I'm sorry to disappoint," he said, managing not to make it sound neither apologetic nor sarcastic. "Thank you again for making this possible."

"There's no need to thank me," the man verbally dismissed him, now taking a look at the group of students standing half a step behind him. "After all, I'd be surprised if none of your friends was a resident of our province - and who knows, maybe they'll like what they see. Either way, we're honoured to add to the education of this countries' finest students."

Chanyeol wasn't sure whether to feel honoured or embarrassed, and to his horror, Jongdae chose that exact moment to be chatty.

"Since your optimism is so inspiring, I think I'll hold back on putting a dent in it," he joked dryly, and the man laughed. Like that, he looked younger and heartier than the high-ranking military members Chanyeol had seen so far.

"I see your tongue is sharp as ever. But I know you guys are on a schedule, so let's put aside the chit chat. I'm Captain Choi of the Provincial Army, and I'll be your guide today."

"He's been stationed here for many years now and is doing an excellent job," Jongdae added matter-of-factly. "He has also taught me much of what I know about combat today."

It was this random bit of information that really drove home what had been obvious right from the start - Jongdae  _ respected  _ this person.

And judging by the way the Captain smiled, that respect was not going by unnoticed.

"Now, now, Jongdae, you don't want to go around discrediting your wonderful fencing teacher, do you?"

"Nothing would be further from my mind," Jongdae rattled down, blank and unassuming, and very much indirectly confirming the accusation.

Captain Choi actually patted Jongdae's shoulder with a good-natured smile.

"One day your cheeky attitude will get you into trouble, young man. Well, in any case we should get started. Let me give you a brief introduction-"

"Young master."

They simultaneously turned to catch sight of an old man wearing a very pristine suit. He walked towards them with an uncanny grace for his age, bowing deeply as soon as he was before them. Chanyeol had seen a few maids and butlers on campus but they usually weren't  _ decades  _ older than their proteges, and none of them behaved  _ this  _ formally.

Jongdae stepped away from the captain without his expression or voice betraying anything.

"Seongsu," he acknowledged the other, all previous hints of relaxation vanished just like that. Chanyeol couldn't put it against him - the old man looked strict and untouchable, almost as if he were a noble himself.

"I am happy to see you safe and zestful," the man said, eyes fleetingly traveling over to linger on Yixing. "I'm also glad you managed to find companions at the academy."

Chanyeol couldn't help feeling embarrassed over being treated like air, but for once, no words left his lips.

Jongdae didn't even smile.

"Is there a reason for your visit?"

The old man didn't even pretend to cling onto the smalltalk any longer than purely necessary.

"Indeed there is. The duke requests your presence."

For the first time that day, Jongdae looked apprehensive.

"I'm here on an official field trip," he stated. "As a student."

The butler didn't share his hesitation.

"I am aware of that."

Jongdae's gaze dropped to the ground in a vain attempt at hiding the conflict dancing in his eyes.

"Well, it's not like you don't know this place by heart already," the Captain spoke up, a barely noticeable tinge of comfort lacing his words. "We will simply proceed without you-"

"Oh, your  _ companions  _ are very much invited as well," the butler cut him off with a stiff, unrelenting smile. The fact that he had interrupted someone of the Captain's rank with such ease already spoke volumes. Now Jongdae’s facade cracked entirely, making room for reluctance.

"That won't be necessary," he began, voice actually wavering. The butler's smile remained unfazed.

"He explicitly stated that it would be his pleasure to welcome them."

There was a moment in which Chanyeol expected the other to protest even further but after a mere three seconds, his clenched fists relaxed, shoulders dropping.

"I see," Jongdae said quietly, not meeting any of their eyes despite holding his head high. "We will be there in a moment."

The butler nodded.

"Wonderful. I'll be contacting the Imperial Army about your potential delay. I’m sure it won't be long though."

It was a sad excuse for comfort and if Chanyeol were in his place, he'd feel humiliated more than anything. Jongdae remained still, however, until the butler was out of ear shot.

Then he took a deep breath and turned back to them.

"I'm very sorry about this," he began, eyes wandering from Jongin to the others, skipping Chanyeol entirely. "It probably won't be long, as he said, but it's up to you whether or not you want to come with. It's your choice."

The mood had dropped significantly, and even Captain Choi didn't seem inclined to change that, instead watching over them with a neutral expression.

Yixing was the first to break the silence, stance relaxing a little now that the butler was gone.

"I don't mind," he said softly, reassuringly, really, and Jongin immediately seconded that, looking worried for Jongdae more than anything.

"I mean, I kinda got the impression that we don't really have a choice," Luhan hummed dubiously, but it was all in good fun - or at least an imitation of such. "But sure. It'll just be a quick visit, right?"

Yifan looked somewhat ashen, but he managed a stiff nod, anyway. Now Jongdae's eyes were flitting up to meet Chanyeol's, and something about the other's attention, about all the dozens of things left unsaid, had heat crawl up his ears.

"What?" he blurted into the round. "It's not like my opinion really matters here. But fine," he added after a beat of silence, "let's just get it over with."

When Jongdae still looked hesitant, Chanyeol actually took the first step leading back towards the residential area.

"Come on. The sooner we leave, the sooner we're back, right?"

Luckily, Captain Choi didn't seem mad at all over the disruption of their schedule. It made sense since the Provincial Army essentially just existed to serve Jongdae's family, but Chanyeol couldn't shake the feeling that the Captain would have had a soft spot for him regardless.

"Private fencing teacher, huh?" Luhan asked, filling the silence as they walked up the stone ramp. "Why am I not surprised?"

Jongdae sighed.

"She's a true master," he replied vaguely.

"And yet you preferred to hone your skills at the army base," Yixing commented, tone ever so light as he spilled uncomfortable observations.

"It's not about the teacher as a person, but the skills they teach," Jongdae said, tugging at the seams of his suit to get rid of any wrinkles (of which there were none to begin with).

Yixing hummed, nice enough not to push for further details.

"Why do I feel like I'm trespassing?" Luhan muttered, saying out loud what Chanyeol had been thinking. It felt  _ wrong  _ to walk up this path, knowing it led to a private building. Weird, too, since they were practically elevating themselves over the people that might actually be walking down these streets later in the day. And every single step towards the gate only solidified that wariness - the villa awaiting them behind it was not only at least a two minute walk away, it also looked like a  _ castle. _

The gates were opened without Jongdae having to say a word, and they followed him in silence. Even the greenery surrounding the estate looked expensive and perfectly groomed. To Chanyeol, whose hometown was infamous for its lack of plants of any kind, seeing so many trees and flowers was quite breathtaking - and bittersweet, considering that there was nobody around to truly appreciate them, making the effort somewhat wasted. He wondered whether Jongdae had been playing around the rose garden and pond as a child, and concluded that that would have probably been frowned upon.

All this didn't quite manage to distract him from the nagging nervousness lingering in his stomach though. It was hard to pinpoint and impossible to get rid of it.

What was he like, the most powerful noble in the country?


	12. The Shepherd

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning for very mild self-harm!

There were no servants waiting at the door, and Jongdae paused before it. For a split second, Chanyeol assumed that he was waiting for someone to open it for him, but he was merely fixing his hair, like he so often had ever since they had arrived in Bareahard.

Without a word, Yixing plucked the silver emblem off his own uniform and offered it to Jongdae, who took it after a moment of hesitation.

Right. Chanyeol hadn't really wasted a thought on it before but Jongdae had never bothered to replace the brooch he'd broken during their first meeting. He smothered the guilt by watching Yixing reach out to fix Jongdae's collar with quick, swift movements, shooting him a small smile afterwards. There hadn't been a single word exchanged between them and yet Chanyeol could only dream of bringing someone as much comfort as Yixing could, even if he had all the words in the world.

How ironic for him to wish that when he had been the one to crack the brooch in the first place.

All his apprehensive thoughts dripped to the back of his mind when Jongdae opened the door and led them into an entrance  _ hall. _

This truly wasn't a home anymore, or even a mansion - to Chanyeol, this was a castle.

The ceilings were so high up that even the two massive, sparkly chandeliers were still hovering far above their heads, their lights blinking on the perfectly polished marble floor. Words truly didn't do justice to the sheer grandeur of the stone columns framing the room, their intricate, swirly carvings perfectly matching the patterns on the walls and ground. The entire room was decked in warm shades of green, with golden accents coming in the form of antique-looking lamps and the family crest, which displayed a shield with a fancy wind orb carved into it. Everything from the wallpaper to the thick carpets looked priceless.

There were more people than they had seen around the noble district, as well; Chanyeol counted at least four people milling around the hall, either cleaning or looking otherwise busy. The closest maid - a young girl with a round, red face and a perfectly pressed costume - almost had a stroke upon seeing Jongdae.

"I didn't expect- uhm. I'm really, really sorry," she stammered, not really stating what she was sorry for. Jongdae simply brushed her off with a shake of his head.

"It's fine," he said, not unkindly. "The Duke has been informed of our visit. We'll be waiting over there."

_ "Of course," _ the maid burst out, gesturing towards the corner of the hall. "I will bring you some tea and cookies. I'll be right back-"

She visibly cringed over her own, clumsy way of words and bustled away while they made their way to what turned out to be a set of comfy-looking sofas around a low, wooden table.

"Have a seat," Jongdae offered calmly, sinking into the plush armchair first, his posture betraying nothing of its comfort. They all followed suit, with Chanyeol sitting next to Yifan, who was now the next most likely person in this hall to experience a stroke from mere stress.

Not that Chanyeol could deny feeling very stiff and awkward himself. The atmosphere in this place was suffocating and nothing, absolutely  _ nothing  _ about it felt like a place one should be calling home. He could only wonder just how large this place was, and how many wings and hallways Jongdae had to walk down to retreat to his room. Suddenly, his notion of a younger brother living on the estate and yet rarely crossing paths with him made much more sense.

They didn't have to wait long; Duke Kim arrived before the promised tea and cookies did. Jongdae spotted him first, getting to his feet and causing everyone else to follow.

Duke Kim wasn't particularly tall, considering that even his heels weren't quite enough to put him on eye level with Chanyeol.

At the same time, however, he was towering over all of them.

It was hard to guess his age; he did look older than Chanyeol's own father, but that probably had more to do with his aura than his actual appearance. There were no hints of grey to his hair despite the noticeable wrinkles giving him a permanently strict expression, and the way he held himself spoke of unwavering confidence. On top of that he was dressed in garments so opulent, they could have just as well belonged to the royal family.

When he stopped before them, he immediately zeroed in on his son.

"Jongdae."

There was a small smile on his lips but it felt about as warm as a handful of snow. His voice was deep and might even be pleasant if not for the piercing stare going along with it.

"Hello, father," Jongdae said dutifully, looking alert, but not nervous.

_ You wouldn't want to be nervous right now, either,  _ a small voice in Chanyeol's head whispered.  _ There's no room for that. _

"It's good to see you so healthy and fit," his father continued, folding his hands behind his back. Golden tassels and polished brooches were blinking at the motion. "I can already tell it was worth calling you here. The academy must be working wonders for you."

"I'm trying," Jongdae said, effectively saying nothing at all.

The Duke was looking past him now, throwing them a look that was sharp observation disguised under mild interest.

Yixing - who had been standing with his back perfectly straight, hands folded behind his back not much unlike the duke himself - slightly tilted his head to gain attention.

"If nobody minds, I'll be introducing myself first," he began smoothly, saving them all by picking up on the signs straight away. "Zhang Yixing. I'm honoured to meet you."

The Duke's smile widened a tiny bit at that, though the room temperature sure didn't.

"So you're the son of Baron Zhang," he stated, not even showing the shadow of a doubt. "He's a good man. Forward my greetings to him, will you?"

Where Chanyeol was shocked that this man apparently knew even the lower nobility by name, Yixing only smiled. It lacked a bit of his usual playfulness though.

"I'm sure he'll be most pleased to return this kind gesture."

He then glanced at Luhan, who thankfully took the hint.

"I'm Luhan. From Celdic. Thank you for having us," he stated stiffly, sounding quite nervous for once.

"Wu Yifan," Yifan muttered, eyes flickering from the Duke to the ground.

"Park Chanyeol," Chanyeol spoke up, hopefully fast enough to cover for Yifan's shell-shocked silence. "From Roer. It's nice to meet you."

He tried his best to sound earnest, and was conscious enough to hate himself for it.

"And I'm Kim Jongin, from the Northern Highlands," Jongin ended, displaying a much more successful attempt than Chanyeol had. "Thank you for taking the time."

The Duke hummed, obviously not having anything to say about them as he took them in once more. Evaluated them.

"And to think that you were planning to leave without stopping by to say hello," he eventually trailed off, "depriving me of the sight of your newly found comrades. I hope you take great care of them."

It was the utter nonchalance in which he'd said it that felt like a cold slap to the face.

This man was above the childish malice of Zitao or the calculated kind of deceit Chanyeol had witnessed in other nobles.

The implications were clear as day - Jongdae was gracious for keeping them around, and if anything, he had the  _ obligation  _ to care for them like they were his responsibility. Like a pet project in order to practice being a duke later on.

And he'd said it like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Jongdae looked like he was about to bite his lips, only to stop himself at the last second.

"There has been no need so far," he said evasively, and for once, Chanyeol wasn't mad about the half-baked response; because this had in fact  _ been  _ a sign of solidarity, a rebellion of the most subtle kind. There was no doubt his father noticed it, too, though Chanyeol wasn't sure what brought him to the conclusion, since his smile didn't falter in the slightest.

"Wonderful. How about we retreat to the study for a little talk? I'm sure your fellow students won't mind waiting for a bit."

"I'm sure they don't," Jongdae agreed easily, and again, Chanyeol had to mentally agree with him. He did in fact not mind waiting here if it meant getting away from this man. With a last clipped, insincere smile thrown their way, the Duke turned and Jongdae followed along, not looking back at them. As they all sank back into the sofas, Yifan looked about as green as the cushioning. Chanyeol, however, couldn't help staring after the two as they made their way down the hall and up a flight of stairs. Next to him, Jongdae looked... small. Young, too. For all his posturing, his many talents and confident drawl, next to his father, Kim Jongdae reminded him of a dog with his ears pressed flat against his head.

While the others were chatting among themselves in small, hushed murmurs, Chanyeol kept looking around the pompous hall, watching the maids avoid his gaze to resume their cleaning duties. There was a strangely heavy sense of emptiness inside him, increasing by the second.

He had always known about the concept of the nobility.

He'd always been aware that nobles owned riches far beyond a regular person's imagination. That certain families held power.

But seeing it all in person, sitting in this very hall, surrounded by vast stretches of polished marble and olive-colored tapestries, it felt so  _ real.  _ So much larger than him.

It made him feel powerless, but also genuinely foolish. Stupid even. This person he had been butting heads with without a care in the world was the heir to all...  _ this. _

In a few years, Jongdae would be the one to own this place, to own an army and a good quarter of the country. And Chanyeol had been arguing with him over breakfast like it actually mattered, like their interactions mattered, like there was even the sliver of a chance that Chanyeol could be right or make a change-

But more than his own impotence, it was the air in this place that made it hard to breathe. To really picture growing up in this palace, having maids and teachers assigned, being grown and groomed to become like the Duke, and walking the streets of a town soon to be yours - just imagining it made him feel dizzy, like the weight of everything was pressing the air out of his lungs-

"You know, not to be paranoid, but I'm pretty sure we're being watched," Luhan commented, deceivingly casually. It was enough of a distraction for Chanyeol to grab onto.

"By every single person in this hall? Wow, I didn't even notice that," Yifan muttered, eyes resting on the table between them. Luhan frowned.

"Pretty sure that boy standing in the doorway is not a maid though."

Chanyeol looked up, craning his head to see the person in question. There was indeed a boy lingering in the closest doorway, looking about their age and sticking out from the staff like a sore thumb; not only did he appear to have no particular duties to follow, he was also dressed way too well in his expensive-looking, proper dress shirt, complete with a frilly cravat and everything. It was nowhere near the level of opulence the Duke had been wearing - or even that of the nobles strolling down the streets - but there was no way he was a young butler.

"Could you be any more obvious?" Luhan hissed, clearly embarrassed.

The boy seemed to shrink as Chanyeol gave into the burning curiosity and lifted his hand in greeting. Luhan groaned.

"Wave him over, why don't you-"

For a moment he thought the boy would flee, but after an awkward pause, social etiquette apparently prompted him to approach them instead. He definitely looked like he wished to be elsewhere though, as evident in the tension running through his entire body. His posture could only be described as straight as a rod but he kept walking until he stopped a mere few steps from the table, hands clenched by his sides.

Chanyeol knew he had to play his cards right now, so he aimed for a light, laid-back tone.

"Hi. You must be Jongdae's brother?"

He could feel his doormmates' questioning gazes burn holes into his head, but Chanyeol didn't pay them any heed, instead focusing on the way the other's eyes widened in surprise.

"My brother mentioned me?"

His voice was softer than his features let on, which were fine, but probably intimidating to other people around their age, with his defined jawline, straight brows, and inky black hair. Going by looks alone, he looked much more aristocratic than Jongdae, if not princely. He was much taller, too.

"Occasionally," he replied with a small shrug. "I mean, he's not exactly a chatterbox."

None of his friends seemed ready to mock him, too caught up processing this new information.

The surprise wouldn't leave the others face, like he was every bit as fascinated by them as vice versa.

"He didn't mention it to  _ me,"  _ Jongin said outright, all the previous formalities forgotten in lieu of his usual, open-minded friendliness. "What's your name?"

For a moment, he hesitated. It made Chanyeol wonder whether he'd had to keep his identity a secret before.

"Sehun," he mumbled eventually, eyes not quite meeting any of theirs. "Are you Jongdae's friends?"

There was the faintest hint of a lisp dusting his words, and Chanyeol added it to the list of obvious differences between him and Jongdae. He'd be a liar to deny the uncomfortable sensation from a good ten minutes ago sitting in his stomach still, but it was hard to link it to this awkward boy subtly clenching his fists by his side. He was so, so  _ young. _

The way he held himself, the way he walked and talked and looked at them (or avoided such) lacked much of the typical, noble purpose still. If he had to guess, he'd assume the other had not been around many other nobles yet - there was an almost innocent air to him in that regard.

"We're his doormmates," Yixing agreed easily, ignoring the way Sehun eyed him almost warily.

"And friends, too, though he'll probably deny it to hell and back," Luhan joked. Sehun didn't even crack a smile at that.

"How old are you, if I may ask?" Yixing tried, mirroring Chanyeol's tone now.

"16," Sehun replied dutifully, only for Yixing to half  _ coo  _ at him.

"That means you'll be attending the Red Sun academy yourself soon, doesn't it? Unless you'll choose another school, that is."

Sehun shook his head.

"Every Kim- everybody goes there. So I'll go there as well."

"You don't sound the slightest bit worried about the entrance exam," Luhan grumbled, more to himself, than anything, but Sehun clearly heard it, judging by his reddening ears.

"I'll try my best to get accepted," he corrected himself.

"Do you already have a club in mind?" Yixing continued the gentle interview bridging the awkwardness. That seemed to throw the boy off guard.

"A club?" he echoed.

"Forgot those existed, didn't you?" Chanyeol asked jokingly, watching the nervous way his fingers scraped over the headrest of the sofa. "Must be a family thing."

"No, but... I don't really know yet," he admitted, not even picking up on the last jab. "What club is my brother in?"

"What kind of club do you think he's in?" Chanyeol asked right back, before one of the others could spill the truth.

Sehun looked taken aback once more, making Chanyeol wonder whether he was used to any human interaction at all, or whether people just didn't normally ask for his opinion - or asked him questions, for that matter.

He thought about it, however, blinking as he tried to find a quick answer.

"What clubs are there?" was what he settled on. A smart move to ask for more information and buy himself more time before making what appeared to be a hard guess to him. Maybe Chanyeol was reading too much into him now.

Together, they listed all up all the clubs, and Sehun hummed in thought. It was endearing how he treated this like a complex numerical problem, one that should be taken seriously.

"Maybe... the photography club? Or maybe the fencing one, since he's good at that," he added, clearly self-conscious over his first guess. While the others got a chuckle out of it, Chanyeol wasn't sure whether he felt impressed or sad.

"What makes you think that?" he asked, trying to sound neutral.

"I don't know," Sehun admitted. "It would suit him. Maybe."

"I've been gone for hardly more than ten minutes and you're bothering people already?"

Sehun flinched, quick to take a step back when none other than Jongdae joined them, arms crossed and looking vaguely unimpressed. Jongdae wasn't even looking at him though.

"I can't take you anywhere, it seems. Leave him alone."

When he turned to Sehun, it was with a sigh.

"I'm sorry on their behalf."

Sehun - who seemed more tense than before, if that was even possible - could only shake his head.

"We didn't know you had a brother," Jongin voiced what most of them were thinking - except for Chanyeol, who faked a sudden interest in the shiny floor when Jongdae glared at him.

"It was my fault," Sehun hurried, looking like a scolded child. "I initiated it."

Jongdae looked doubtful, at best, and Chanyeol took that little distraction to strike.

"We were just talking about club activities," he began, deceivingly casual. "And Sehun here thinks you're in the photography club."

Now Sehun was (weakly) glaring at him in embarrassment, and it was Jongdae's turn to look surprised - though in his case, it was so subtle of a change that it could be confused for irritation.

"What brought you to that conclusion?" was all he asked.

"What club  _ are  _ you in?" Sehun asked right back in sheer self-defense. Jongdae crossed his arms, expression blank again.

"None."

Sehun seemed to deflate at that.

"Oh," he muttered. "That makes sense."

"Don't worry. It's not obligatory to be  _ boring,"  _ Chanyeol quipped. "You should choose a club if you attend the academy. They're a lot of fun."

Now that Jongdae was actually present, Sehun shot him a wary look, as if he expected repercussions for someone - a commoner, no less - daring to be so bold.

Jongdae's reaction came so naturally, it might as well be a trained reflex at this point.

"I didn't realize you're the one setting the standards here," he jabbed right back. "But I can assure you I am able to fill my own free time just fine and it does  _ not  _ involve me being splattered in dirt for fun."

"It's okay to be inept when it comes to technology," Chanyeol said, purposefully patronizing, before turning to Sehun. "You're welcome to join the engineering club any time. We're doing some cool stuff there."

"No, thank you," Sehun said straight away, looking and sounding very much like a pouty child.

Luhan snorted.

"Understandable. I wouldn't wanna associate with him either."

"The literature club is a lot of fun, too," Jongin chimed in, and while Sehun did seem more interested in what Jongin had to say, Jongdae decided that this was quite enough.

"As riveting as your attempts to corrupt my brother may be to you," he began with his arms crossed, "may I remind you that this is not a vacation but a field trip? We're already late enough as is."

"You know, there's really no need to further prove how boring you are," Chanyeol retorted, rolling his eyes. "We believe you already."

They did relent though, if only to finally leave this place. It was quite surprising how Chanyeol had almost managed to forget about their surroundings, if just for a moment. He was reminded immediately when they waved Sehun goodbye though.

"It was nice meeting you," Sehun said awkwardly, clearly not knowing what to say to Jongdae. "I'll see you around?"

Jongdae nodded.

"For the holidays, I assume," he replied and, after a brief pause, "take care."

Sehun bit back on a smile. Like this, he didn't look all that noble anymore.

"You too."

He was looking after them with an odd sense of wonder, one that Chanyeol couldn't help committing to memory as he turned around one last time before the doors closed and they were out in the open again - leaving this careful, awkward boy behind in a mansion that was way too large, way too polished and way too empty. A mansion that Jongdae called home. Then again, Chanyeol couldn't remember him ever using that exact term.

"Your brother is surprisingly cute," Luhan commented the moment they had left the estate, with Jongin and Yifan agreeing in a heartbeat.

Jongdae just sighed in mild exasperation.

"And he's so fond of you," Yixing commented with a smile. "It's quite heartwarming."

"I would hardly label it fondness," Jongdae brushed him off with a skeptic glance.

Chanyeol hummed, hands shoved into his pockets.

"Me neither. He straight up  _ adores  _ you," he claimed with utter certainty, watching the incredulity put a crack into the other's facade.

"What are you even talking about?"

"Didn't you see the way he was looking at you?" Jongin inquired, looking amused. "Now I get what my parents meant when they told me I'd always look at my sisters like they put the stars in the sky."

"Now this is a little dramatic, don't you think?"

"Tell that to him," Chanyeol half-joked.

The look Jongdae gave him clearly spelled out that he had not forgotten about the fact that Chanyeol had spilled the news about his brother in the first place. Not like he was doing a good job at being intimidating. The lightest hue of pink dusting his cheeks may have something to do with it.

"You know, they're similar in one way at least," Chanyeol began, hands shoved in his pocket as he acted like Jongdae wasn't even present. "I bet if anyone told Sehun that his brother adores  _ him,  _ he'd make the exact same face as him."

"Shut up," Jongdae demanded, way too fragile to be taken seriously at all.

Luhan snorted, and Yifan was clearly biting back on a grin as well.

It was easy to fill the silence like this, and Jongdae seemed genuinely invested and mentally present. Maybe more so than Chanyeol, who was itching to ask what this entire meeting had been about and whether he was in trouble or anything. His pride wouldn't let him though, and his conscience backed him up with the comforting argument that Jongdae would not divulge any information, anyway. For some reason, he was perfectly sure about that.

* * *

"I think I pulled a muscle," Luhan groaned many hours later, from where he was sitting on the ground with his back leaned against the hotel bed. "Or ten. And by  _ pulled,  _ I really mean ripped."

"Stop being so dramatic," Yixing sighed, but he himself was lying on the bed, showing no signs of working on his report or even considering that much. Chanyeol - who had won their game of rock, paper, scissors and was already freshly showered just like Yixing - didn't even manage a reply other than a vague hum, cheek mashed against the sheets.

The Imperial Army had only had them join for the evening drills but that was enough for Chanyeol to feel like he was dying. His legs in particular felt so wobbly that he was pretty sure he'd move like a sickly turtle for the next few days.

When Jongin entered the room with Jongdae in tow, he let out a content sigh.

"That was quite the refreshing workout, wasn't it?" he asked with a tired, but nonetheless sunny smile.

Chanyeol deemed it worth the exertion to turn over and give Jongin a disbelieving stare. Behind him, Jongdae looked borderline disturbed over the other's attitude.

"God, I knew you're not human," Luhan groaned. "And don't even try to tell me your morning stretches led to this monstrous constitution."

"They do help," Jongin smiled, flopping on his bed. Yixing didn't even twitch.

"It's mostly due to my lance training and dancing though. I suppose."

"When do you even do all that? Weren't you a member of the literature club?" Chanyeol asked, purposefully not looking Jongdae's way as he took his hairdryer and disappeared into the bathroom again. “Aren’t you supposed to sit around and read and not exercise?”

Jongin shrugged.

"Whenever I'm free. It just turns into a habit at some point, really."

"I can't wait for our combat lessons to allow weapons of choice," Luhan sighed. "I'm itching to see you in action with a weapon you're confident in. You'll probably wipe the floor with Huang and Co."

"You're exaggerating," Jongin waved him off, reaching for his notes. "So, are you all done with your reports already?"

They groaned in unison.

By the time the lights were switched off, it was well after midnight and Chanyeol could only blearily thank this day for being as rough as it was. At least he didn't have the strength to care about sharing a bed with Jongdae now, or agonizing over whether or not the other had read anything into their previous incident. Right then, he just needed to  _ sleep.  _ Jongdae could be lying on top of him and he wouldn't give a damn.

He'd barely even finished the thought when it joined the others and turned into goo, luring him into a pool of much anticipated darkness.

When Chanyeol awoke, it was still dark. Still night. It felt like every single fiber in his body was screaming, and with a sigh, he turned to his other side, snuggling closer into the soft blankets. It was then that he realized it wasn't the pain that had woken him.

Jongdae's breathing was weird. It sounded ragged, with forceful, sharp inhales and exhales that didn't seem to follow any particular pattern. His first assumption was that Jongdae was touching himself but the thought was fleeting - just as Chanyeol was gradually coming to, the noises seemed to slip into focus, as well, and they didn't sound pleasure-driven in the slightest. Something was wrong.

He reached out, blindly feeling for the other's shoulder.

Tense. Jongdae was so tense he was shaking, and he didn't show any reaction when Chanyeol carefully shook him.

"Hey," he whispered, slipping closer to get a better hold of him, palm wandering down from the top of his shoulder to get a hold of his arm. "Hey-"

His fingers brushed the other's knuckles, felt his fingers tighten in almost spasmodic manner. It took him a moment to interpret what he was feeling. Jongdae was clutching his own upper arms, pressing down,  _ scratching himself  _ through the fabric. Reflexively, Chanyeol grabbed his wrist, thumb pressing into his palm as he wrestled his hand away. It required a surprising amount of force but his advantage in size and raw strength was enough to overpower Jongdae - who still seemed to be asleep, judging by the small, pained sounds coming from the back of his throat. Chanyeol held him still for a moment before reaching around to grab his other wrist. Jongdae's now free hand clawed into Chanyeol's arm instead, and if he weren't so sleepy, he would have winced. As it was, however, he only grunted, holding Jongdae a little tighter, pressing him against his chest as he continued to try and rouse him.

"Hey," he'd whisper over and over again, his tone morphing from alarmed to soothing, but never rising in volume. It might be silly, but he'd feel bad for alerting everyone about this. Whatever this was, it was a matter of mind, not physical well-being.

"Jongdae," he murmured, as quietly as he could, and the effect was instantaneous. He could feel a different kind of tension run through his body as the other was startled awake with a small gasp.

For two long seconds, it was perfectly quiet. Then Jongdae exhaled, a bit of the tension bleeding out - though he was still holding onto Chanyeol's arm.

Chanyeol didn't move, carefully focusing on using his remaining senses to gauge the situation. He listened to the others breathing, his repeated swallowing as he tried to soothe his throat in between trying to find a healthy rhythm.

Chanyeol wholeheartedly expected a kick, or maybe an elbow to the ribs - anything that would put distance between them after coming to under these circumstances. It would be the most natural reaction, really. Jongdae wasn't moving at all though. He was simply lying there, possibly shell-shocked, not having moved a muscle. Chanyeol would have given him space, of course, if not for the fact that he was still holding onto his forearm, the other hand curled around Chanyeol’s. The grip wasn't aiming to hurt anymore, blunt nails replaced with fingertips pressing into his skin. It occurred to him then that Jongdae's nails were perfectly manicured, so he shouldn't have been able to inflict any serious harm through his sleepwear, anyway.

The silence stretched on, and it made him nervous. He wanted to say something, he really did, but nothing would come out. There really wasn't anything to say right now. Whatever this was, Jongdae would not open up about it, and Chanyeol could only guess that it had something to do with meeting his father earlier. Or maybe with the stress that came from visiting this city. It could be an entirely unrelated matter, too, but something about that theory didn't seem right to Chanyeol. He couldn't put his finger on it though.

Even when Jongdae's breathing had finally calmed down, he seemed every bit as unwilling as Chanyeol to break the silence. Or to break free from his hold. Chanyeol could feel his shoulders draw up, but it was hard to take it as a sign of discomfort when he was tightening the hold onto him the way he did. So he responded in the only, logical way, and pulled him in close as he settled into a more comfortable position. Because this wasn't about their petty disputes. It wasn't about pride, either - at least not about Chanyeol's pride.

Sure, he couldn't deny that the way he was twitching upon having Jongdae's behind pressed against his groin was mortifying, but Jongdae didn't move away, so Chanyeol stayed as he was as well.

Like this, he was hyper aware of how much smaller Jongdae was, with his narrow waist making it easy to keep an arm curled around him. His hands were sturdy though, with no trace of delicacy to be found, even as his grip loosened gradually.

Determined to have Jongdae fall asleep first, Chanyeol allowed his thoughts to wander, mentally looking back on their field trip that was now officially over.   
Bareahard had been quite the magnificent town and every bit a noble breeding ground as they had been told. And Jongdae had been rigid as a stick for most of the trip - despite his very cool, dismissive conversations with random nobles not showing any of it. Even after meeting up with his father for some supposedly serious discussion, he hadn't even shown a glimpse of... anything, really. He'd simply continued on with his day as if it hadn't taken place, having apparently no urge at all to share his thoughts or feelings.

Chanyeol thought back to the way he'd fixed his hair, had borrowed Yixing’s brooch and rightened his uniform simply to face his own father.

It hit him right then and there, a seemingly random memory popping up and completing the picture - back when Chanyeol had applied the wet packs, he had seen them himself; the seemingly random, fine scars that seemed to focus on his upper arms. This wasn't even close to being a first time occurrence for him.

Apparently, even the great Kim Jongdae couldn't control himself in his sleep.    
Apparently, wandering around like nothing could ever touch you came at a price, after all.

It answered a few of the questions Chanyeol had had, though the new-found realization didn't bring him any satisfaction.

It wasn't... fair.

He'd often thought that in the past, usually referring to commoners like him and his friends being disadvantaged. Now he thought of marbled hallways and chandeliers that were too far up to count the lights; of people scrambling to bow, to smile, to  _ stare.  _ Of being drilled into standing up straight at all times, keeping your thoughts to yourself.

He also thought of the Duke - this mighty, judgemental person that resembled another, even harsher trial rather than support.

It wasn't fair.

_ 'He's just a boy your age,'  _ Yifan's mother had said. Maybe he was starting to understand why that statement had struck a nerve. Or maybe he wasn't understanding anything at all - there really was no telling with Jongdae. His fingers were still curled around Chanyeol's though, so he decided to listen to  _ that,  _ trusting that it was saying something. Jongdae had already dozed off again, prompting Chanyeol to do the same. He blamed it on the exhaustion how easy it was to sleep like this, holding Jongdae close while he buried his nose in the others hair.

It smelled like the free shampoo the hotel had provided them with.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double Update!  
> Sorry for the wait?  
> I've been itching to get to this chapter to be honest.
> 
> Also, while I don't usually refer to the source material a lot, this chapter was inspired by the Duke's family mansion from the game - because despite the slightly old graphics, it really left an impression on me:
> 
> [All the glitz and glamour](https://kiseki.fandom.com/wiki/Bareahard?file=Bareahard_-_Noble_District_-_Albarea_Mansion_1_%2528sen2%2529.png)  
> [Look at how tiny the maid is in comparison!](https://kiseki.fandom.com/wiki/Bareahard?file=Bareahard_-_Noble_District_-_Albarea_Mansion_3_%2528sen2%2529.png)
> 
> That aside, it's getting really cold here so I hope you guys stay healthy and I wish you no runny noses under your masks *haha*


	13. In front of me.

When Chanyeol woke up the next day, it was to a cushion thrown at his head.

"We'll definitely leave you here if you don't get up now. That goes for both of you," he heard Luhan proclaim - which would have sounded more intimidating if not for the suppressed yawn.

It was then that Chanyeol remembered - and sat up fast enough to send his world spinning. Before the bed, Luhan flinched.

"God, you freak me out sometimes," he groaned, turning to prod Jongin next.

Chanyeol blinked. A look downwards told him that he was indeed alone on the bed, and a second glance showed Jongdae in his shiny white uniform with his eyes on the luggage, folding his pajama to fit it back into the small, stupidly expensive-looking case.

Oh.

Chanyeol relaxed again, relieved that they hadn't been caught. Surely, Luhan (and Yixing) would have never let them hear the end of it. He was already embarrassed enough as it was.

That didn't even come close to what Jongdae was apparently feeling though - during the entire morning, including their trip to the station and the ride back, Jongdae didn't do so much as look his way. He didn't speak up unless directly addressed, didn't have any smart response to anything Chanyeol said and generally treated him like air. Judging by the questioning looks he received from the others, they had noticed that much as well.

Unsure of how to react, Chanyeol only shrugged it off, spending the better part of the train ride thinking about an appropriate reaction.

He could treat this similarly to the fever incident and tell him not to worry about it - but this went a little deeper than some fever-induced rambling. Jongdae had effectively exposed having actual issues with stress or fear of some kind. He was probably not only ashamed, but also even more stressed by the prospect of Chanyeol telling anyone, no matter his intentions. 

So he waited until they had returned to their dorm, waited until he could catch him alone.

This time, Jongdae not only opened the door to his room, he even let him inside despite having a hard time looking him in the eye. He closed the door after him and waited, posture straight but eyes lowered. He may be trying to be subtle about it, but Chanyeol could see him dig his nails into his palm.

The sight gave him the final push and he spoke up, aiming for a casual, neutral tone.

"It never happened. Okay?" he offered, because that's what it really was. An offer.

He could have acted more embarrassed, could have tried to make this about the physical proximity they'd shared, but it would feel like an insult to Jongdae's intelligence.

Jongdae, who was now looking at him with the slightest hue of surprise wrapped around scepticism as he gauged Chanyeol's expression, clearly searching for something. Chanyeol meant it though.

"It just never happened," he repeated calmly. No pity, no unsolicited advice or worries.

Whatever Jongdae had been looking for on his face, he hadn't found it. Or maybe he had, and that was a good thing because his shoulders lowered, relaxing slightly, in tandem with his fingers. He nodded in a tiny move that didn't seem to be directed at Chanyeol at all.

"Alright," he said, barely above a whisper, and Chanyeol felt a twinge. Of what, he wasn't so sure. He had plenty of time to think about it later that day - while writing his reports and running through his daily exercises, and even as he was cleaning up the engineering club room, sorting screws and cables.

Had he done the right thing?

It was quite presumptuous on every level to be disappointed about Jongdae not sharing any details and - on a less selfish note - maybe keeping this a secret was simply not a very healthy choice. But at the end of the day, it was Jongdae's choice to make, not his.

He had a surprising amount of time to himself that day, and for once, Chanyeol would have preferred company to distract him. He was just feeling so... gloomy. But people were either busy with their reports or hadn't yet returned from their trip. And as much as he loved spending time at the engineering club, it was quite lame when not even Minseok was present - apparently, their seniors went on fewer, but more extravagant field trips, travelling to the countries' borders and beyond, occupying them for a few more days.

Resigned, Chanyeol returned to the dorm in the late afternoon, only to be greeted with most of his dormmates lined up in a neat row in the entrance area - with Kyungsoo standing before them, arms crossed and unimpressed glare now fixated on Chanyeol.

"Uhm. I can wait outside," he offered quietly, and an offered document was his response.

"You can stay outside all night for all I care," Kyungsoo began nonchalantly, "as long as you fix up this poor excuse for a report. I marked the most egregious spots."

Chanyeol was pretty sure he was resembling a boiled crab with how the embarrassment was burning on his face.

"Uhm. Thank you?" he asked rather than stated, meekly taking his report.

"The same goes for all of you, obviously," Kyungsoo continued, now staring down the others again. Chanyeol couldn't help but notice that Jongdae wasn't present for the scolding. Well. Having basically grown up in that military base, he probably knew how to write military-appropriate reports.

"Okay, but... why didn't I get any notes?" Luhan asked, flipping through the few pages back and forth, as if he might have overlooked them.

Kyungsso didn't even blink.

"Just re-write the whole thing. It'll be faster."

Luhan actually gaped at him, and Chanyeol couldn't fault him. That had been cruel.

Humiliated and obviously angry, Luhan left without a word, taking the stairs to disappear into his room. Chanyeol watched after him with a grimace.

"Any other questions?" Kyungsoo asked, daring them to speak up. For once, not even Yixing seemed brave enough for a conversational remark.

Kyungsoo nodded.

"No? Good. You're dismissed, then. I expect the corrected versions on my desk by tomorrow afternoon."

They were wise enough not to do as much as pull a face.

As they padded upstairs, Jongin hesitated, staring at the closed door to Luhan's room.

"In an hour or so," Yixing murmured, giving him a comforting pat on the shoulder. "Let's meet up here in an hour to finish them all together. I'll bring some snacks."

Jongin hummed and Yifan nodded as well, satisfied with the compromise. Chanyeol could once more only dream of being so perfectly put together.

Or to be even a little put together, to be honest. In the following hour spent hunched over his own report, he had a hard time focusing. He was simply feeling... blue. A little out of energy. He'd label and dismiss it as a bad day if it wasn't for his brain mercilessly replaying their field trip in his head, lingering on vast stretches of tapestries and people bowing before them. Well, before Jongdae.

He just couldn't help thinking back to the way the Duke had looked at them, like they were nothing more than mildly entertaining ants. It pulled forth even more memories he'd stored away over the past few months - like how Zitao had tossed Luhan into the pond, how Yixing had slipped into being bullied, and how Chanyeol's words hadn't made a change in either instance, and how his fists and skills were too weak to make a change either. And then he remembered their tour through the provincial army headquarters, and it had been so obvious that there was no way his fists or words would _ever_ get through that.

Sure, it could be called self-pity, probably, but that didn't make Chanyeol feel any less hopeless.

Yes, _hopeless_ probably summed it up perfectly.

No matter how far he'd reach, he couldn't think of a position in which he could make a difference. It was a truth that people in his life had preached to him ever since he was a child. Today, as Chanyeol sat in his room far away from home, with his head buried in his arms, smearing the ink on his report... he might just believe them for the first time.

* * *

  
  


"I swear he has it out for me," Luhan groaned a day later, as soon as their history lesson was over, throwing his upper body over the desk in a rather dramatic manner. There was no doubt who he was referring to - not with how Kyungsoo had sighed upon glancing at his corrected report earlier, when they'd handed it in.

"I'd like to say you're imagining things," Chanyeol began with a wry smile, "but..."

"Exactly," Luhan grumbled, “but.”

"But what?" Yixing inquired with his ever so gentle smile, slipping into Jongdae's seat while Jongdae moved to sit across Jongin. There was a free seat between the two nobles and if Yifan was feeling particularly bold, he'd take it (today he didn't though, choosing to share Chanyeol's desk). It was their usual seating order for free periods and by now, barely anyone paid them any heed anymore. The number of nobles moseying over to try and suck up to Jongdae had decreased dramatically by now, thanks to his ever so rude deflections.

"He thinks Instructor Do hates him," Jongin provided helpfully. Predictably, Yixing's expression morphed into one of genuine concern.

"What? No, he doesn't-"

"He gave all of you tips while he told me to toss the entire thing," Luhan protested immediately. "And you've seen it yesterday - my report wasn't _that_ different from any of yours."

"And he'd already criticized it on the train," Yifan added, earning himself a rigorous "I know, right?" from Luhan. Kyungsoo - who had magically reappeared as they’d boarded the train back home - had indeed looked over their shoulders as they added notes to their reports... only to scold Luhan in particular for his lack of professionalism, messy writing, and too vague expressions.

Yixing's gaze softened but he didn't get further than parting his lips.

"Do _not,"_ Luhan cut him off, "tell me he likes me now. Do not."

Yixing closed his mouth again, both palms raised in playful defeat.

"After all, he likes _you_ and has never been this, uh. Strict," Chanyeol provided, though referring to Kyungsoo as anything other than strict felt wrong.

"I wonder what his reason is," Jongin trailed off. Next to him, Jongdae huffed.

"It's probably nothing to worry about. At least he hasn't given up on you yet, like he's done for _certain_ other people."

"Ha ha," Chanyeol muttered tonelessly, poking around his lunch box and ignoring the stares he could feel on himself.

"You know, you've been suspiciously peaceful today," Luhan muttered from where he was still hunched over the desk. "Not a single hissy fit."

"No denying that," Yixing piped up, and Chanyeol didn't like where this was going. Yixing rested his chin on his hands in a devilish display of faux casualty.

"Did something happen between you two?" he asked candidly. "In Bareahard, mayhaps?"

Chanyeol rolled his eyes in response, doing his very best to look convincing.

"You were with us the entire time."

"Were we? Can't remember any of us sharing the bed with-"

"O- _kay,_ and that's enough chit chat for today," Chanyeol said resolutely, getting to his feet and grabbing his lunch box. "I'll be right back."

He didn't even think of an excuse and straight up turned to leave, ignoring Yixing's disappointed "Now don't be like that-"

He didn't get far though, not with how someone was blocking his way.

Huang Zitao. Pretty much the only noble who still bothered to bother _them._

Ironically enough, he looked startled by Chanyeol almost running into him, but decided to stand his ground, after all. Now if only said ground wasn't so inconveniently keeping Chanyeol from leaving.

He groaned.

"And what do _you_ want?"

Zitao looked highly offended over the lack of shivering on Chanyeol's part.

"Well," he began, quickly catching himself as he crossed his arms and gave him a haughty look. "I was going to inquire how far you've gotten into despairing over your reports. Since it has come to my attention that our accomplishments are going to be presented in class, I figured it a good idea to prepare for the embarrassment that will be your presentation."

Void of patience, Chanyeol gave him a blank stare.

"So you came to say hi," he summed up. "Cool. Hi."

Luhan snorted but Chanyeol didn't linger. He simply side-stepped Zitao without a second glance and left the classroom. It wasn't like he had a particular destination in mind. Maybe he'd take a quick stroll through the library. It didn't really matter as long as he could escape this conversation. He'd promised Jongdae that he'd act like their shared night ( _shared night,_ that sounded terribly wrong) had never taken place, and he knew his poker face was non-existent. Yixing could probably read thoughts off his face that Chanyeol didn't even know he was having... or, if all else failed, make some up.

Part of him felt a little bad over leaving Jongdae to defend himself but there was no denying that he was helping more by not being present.

As for the _real_ reason he'd been quiet...

 _Well,_ Chanyeol thought. He simply wasn't in the mood to fight anyone today. Nothing unusual about that.

By the time he returned to the classroom just before their next lesson, everyone had returned to their seats already. That way, he could stare at the back of Jongdae's head, who was sitting in front of him - thanks to Jongdae cramming himself into the back corner of the block reserved for nobles and Chanyeol taking up a spot in the row just behind him. Next to Jongdae was a permanently unoccupied seat. There were quite a few empty seats since the number of nobles was smaller than the amount of room reserved for them. It was a waste Chanyeol had internally bemoaned more than once but that day, he didn't quite feel the need to. He should focus on his own studies instead.

He made a valiant effort at doing so, taking notes as the Instructor for orbal science introduced them to an important group project that would make up a good chunk of their final grade.

"This year's theme will be _Orbs in Weaponry,_ specifically regarding orbs _attached_ to weaponry," the Instructor - a rather flippant, but no doubt competent young woman, rattled down as she wrote a few notes on the chalkboard. "I want each pair to choose a weapon as well as an orb constellation and examine the way they influence said weapon. This is a guideline for you to work with-"

Chanyeol kept scribbling everything down, hurrying so he could ask someone to partner up with him. Clearly, he wasn't the only one thinking of that, and the general noise did not go unnoticed by the Instructor.

"You can quit the mumbling and get rid of those hopes," she said loudly, still writing away, "since we'll draw partners for this."

The disappointment was audible but no one dared protesting. Chanyeol bit his lips as he drew a piece of paper from the bag that got handed around not much later. So much for begging Yifan to partner up with him. It would have been so great, with Yifan's orbal expertise and his own engineering skills. Now he could only stare at the little eleven scrawled on his paper and hope to be partnered up with someone decent. Next to him, Luhan was looking at an eight, and craning his head told him that to _his_ right, Jongin had drawn a three.

The Instructor read out numbers and people raised their hands, being noted down accordingly.

Jongin was partnered up with Yifan - that lucky guy - while Luhan had to work with one of the amazon-like noble girls that Chanyeol knew were scary with a sword.

Anxiously, he drummed his fingers on his thighs as the students were all sorted in more or less happy pairs.

Jongdae hadn't been drawn yet, and neither had Yixing.

"Ten."

Two girls raised their hands.

Chanyeol restlessly crossed his fingers over his thighs.

"Eleven."

He raised his hand.

And so did Zitao.

"Park Chanyeol... and Huang Zitao," the Instructor hummed, light and casual.

"What?" Chanyeol burst out before he could help it. _"No-"_

"Any problems?" the Instructor asked, patiently. Like she had simply waited for this moment.

People were staring at him, mostly annoyed and ready to hear one of his anti-noble tirades. Chanyeol was smart (and embarrassed) enough not to say anything, and the Instructor nodded.

"Good. There is no class segregation in the military. I hope all of you keep that in mind. Twelve."

Chanyeol slumped down in his seat.

Of all people.

Huang Zitao somehow managed to make a show out of _not_ looking at him.

He tried very hard not to groan.

* * *

"First Jongdae, now Huang. You're really collecting the nobles, aren't you?" Luhan asked conversationally as they packed up their things an hour later, ready to move to the training grounds for their combat lessons.

Chanyeol only shot him a vague, unimpressed look.

"That doesn't even make sense."

He decided to ignore the probing way Luhan was staring at him, instead giving Yifan a nod as he caught up with them.

"Man, we would have made for an amazing team," he bemoaned straight away. Yifan shot him a small, but genuine grin.

"'course we would have," he said simply, patting his shoulder. "You'll be fine though."

"For real," Luhan agreed, stretching his arms over his head as they walked down the hallway, "if anyone is gonna get some actual effort out of Huang, it would be you."

Chanyeol wasn't feeling nearly as confident and the entire prospect of actually working _with_ Zitao was giving him a headache already.

Would he have preferred for it to be Jongdae? Well, maybe. Maybe, if he'd been asked last week-

"Park."

He didn't even turn his head at the nasal sound.

"Hm?" he hummed in disinterest as Zitao took up his unoccupied left side. Somehow, he even managed to walk like a noble, polished shoes clicking on the ground with every determined step.

"Don't _hm_ me," he commanded. "Just to make this clear right now: I am not going to settle for anything less than the top spot for this assignment."

Chanyeol shrugged.

"Then you better get to studying."

He turned his head just in time to see Zitao's cat-like eyes narrow.

"I am not going to do all of the work here."

"Never said you would," Chanyeol said. He simply wasn't in the mood for any of this.

The fact that he wasn't really inviting any trouble seemed to stump Zitao, who looked mildly taken aback. It took him an awkward couple seconds to even think of a comeback at the nothingness Chanyeol had added to the conversation when Yixing and Jongdae caught up to them, the latter piping up from behind them, tone airy as ever.

"What a stellar example of the infamously poor discipline of commoners."

His words stung. Chanyeol was not a slacker. Neither were Yifan nor Luhan (well, maybe Luhan _could_ be a bit of a slacker). But what use did arguing really have?

"Whatever," was all he muttered, not even sparing Jongdae a glance as Zitao rattled down all the tiny gaps in his oh-so-packed schedule where he expected Chanyeol to be present.

Like that, he completely missed the unreadable gaze of Jongdae boring holes into the back of his head.

* * *

It had been almost a week since they had returned from Bareahard, and Chanyeol was tired of hearing his own sighs.

He flopped onto the bed - fully ignoring how his damp hair wet the cushion - to stare out of the window and into the starry sky. This area may be well-lit, but he could still see more stars than back in his home town.

So far, every single meeting with Zitao had been terrible. Zitao had acted like an alpha monkey, taking charge despite lacking a clear vision, and Chanyeol had rolled his eyes and let him do it. They - and by _they,_ he was really referring to Zitao - had chosen to center their project around some type of long sword Zitao was proficient with, and everything after that had been excruciatingly boring and dry, with them basically copying all the sources they could find at the library. It felt pointless and frustrating. And afterwards, he'd return to the dorm, assure his friends that he was perfectly fine, do his homework and eventually go to bed. Not even the engineering club really had his attention these days, with Minseok actually cramming for an important exam, leaving them all to realize just _how_ integral their president was to the club.

Chanyeol half-turned, hugging his cushion as he looked up and into the sky.

Last night, he'd dreamt of being lost in the Kim family mansion. He'd meant to go get Jongdae, no big deal, but the instructions of the maids had been confusing and the more he tried, the more he got lost. It also included some blurry images of pompous clothing as he tried to avoid being spotted by the Duke, like this was some sort of game or action novel. It was quite embarrassing, really, and if Chanyeol could choose to erase those memories right away, he would.

There was a knock on the door, just loud enough to be heard.

People didn't usually knock - at least not like this, with two precise knocks, followed by expectant silence. Confused, he sat up.

"Yeah?"

Two seconds passed. When the door opened, it revealed none other than Jongdae, looking freshly showered as well. He was back to wearing one of his long, silky pajamas - a navy blue one this time, with a proper collar, buttons and everything. Chanyeol would have rolled his eyes if he hadn't already seen it.

"Do you have a moment?" Jongdae asked. Still wary, Chanyeol nodded, not even getting up. With a light nod, Jongdae entered, closing the door after him with a soft click. He didn't even attempt to step further into the room, keeping his back to the door, eyes flitting over his shelves and belongings for just a second, barely lingering on the somewhat messy workbench.

It only occured to Chanyeol then that Jongdae had never been in his room before. Weird.

Jongdae quickly focused on him though, and something about his gaze made Chanyeol feel defensive already. He kept his mouth shut though, mostly because Jongdae had been the one to approach him, so it was up to him to say what he'd come for. He didn't have to wait long.

"You said _nothing happened,"_ he said quietly. Accusatory, really.

Chanyeol blinked. He had no idea what he'd expected, but this was not it.

"Yeah?" he confirmed quizzically. "Why, did someone see us? I didn't tell anyone."

"They can tell, anyway, I think," Jongdae began, looking unhappy with his own choice of words. "You're not... _acting_ like nothing happened."

When Chanyeol didn't have an immediate response, his gaze strayed, coming to rest on the ground and allowing his damp bangs to obscure his expression.

If the circumstances were different, Chanyeol would have taken his words as an insulting demand. Now, though, he was a bit too taken aback to do so.

"Eh, it's got nothing to do with that though," he eventually dismissed him with a casual wave. "They just got a wild imagination."

Mild surprise turned into confusion as Jongdae looked up at him again.

"Oh?" he asked, the inquiry light and deceivingly probing. "I guess I wasn't imagining your odd attitude towards Huang, then. So it is a matter of _nobility_ then, isn't it?"

"What do you even want from me?" Chanyeol demanded reluctantly - at least he was trying to make it sound demanding, maybe even aggressive. It came out rather weak instead, and while he couldn't recall a specific situation, it felt like the tables had turned for once.

Jongdae didn't back down though his voice remained even.

"Confirmation of whether or not a single walk through a noble district was enough to shut down all your yapping."

Chanyeol could feel the heat rise to his face, could feel the anger bubble up.

But Chanyeol wasn't a fire orb master in the making for nothing - he knew that his anger was hardly directed at Jongdae, and he knew that most of the heat stemmed from something else - shame.

"If you're here to rub it in and make me feel like shit then I can assure you that you can save yourself the effort," he said between gritted teeth.

Jongdae lightly shook his head in disbelief.

"That's all it took? Should have done this right from the start, then, shouldn't I?" he asked, sounding unusually sardonic. "Should have invited you over to call it a day."

"What do you even mean, _that's all it took?"_ Chanyeol echoed angrily, fists balled by his sides, bunching up the blanket. It dawned on him right away that he had involuntarily exposed himself and he rubbed his forehead, pressing against the incoming headache. "Just- ugh. You know what? Just leave me alone."

Jongdae did not make any move to leave though. He just kept talking in this calm, matter-of-fact tone that made Chanyeol want to get up and strangle him with his bare hands.

"All those big words and threats, and for what? You're just a hypocrite at this point-"

 _"Shut up,"_ Chanyeol snapped sharply, having finally had enough. "What's it to you? You _want_ me to go back to complaining about every single thing you do?"

Jongdae didn't reply to that though the silence - combined with his mildly stubborn look - spoke volumes. So did his clenched fists and raised shoulders.

Chanyeol was the first to break eye contact, if only to discreetly blink away the treacherous, wet burn he felt behind his lids. This was the worst-

"I was starting to think you mean it," Jongdae spoke up again, almost too quiet to be heard. There was neither disappointment nor accusation nor pity to it. As per usual, Chanyeol had no idea what Jongdae's intentions were.

"I actually bought it - like Luhan would say," he heard him add, sounding a bit embarrassed for the first time that night. "If you waver so easily now, you'll make me look like an idiot."

It should be a selfish, annoying statement, it really should be - if not for the fact that all Chanyeol heard was a thinly veiled plea.

He took a deep breath, trying to relax. A light pitter-patter suggested that it had started to rain. Funny how fast the sky could cloud up.

"It's not like I can make a difference though," he admitted eventually, unable to even look his way. The anger had died down as soon as it had come, leaving behind nothing but fatigue. "Throughout the years, the number of people I could actually protect could be counted on one hand, at best. Even here, where everyone's _supposedly equal,_ it takes a name to actually cause a change. It just feels like wasted breath at this point. You can laugh and call me pathetic. I don't care."

Jongdae put his hands behind his back, leaning against the door in what had to be a more comfortable position.

"If that's pathetic, then what would that make the people tolerating oppression their entire life?" he asked calmly.

Chanyeol shot him a dubious look.

"Are you admitting that the nobility is oppressive?" he asked slowly, momentarily distracted from the whirlwind of negativity.

Jongdae shook his head.

"Not necessarily. It's not any more or less oppressive of a concept than the royal family or the military are."

"So...?" Chanyeol asked, not sure where this was going anymore.

"That doesn't make abuse of power right though. Wasn't that the whole point? Of you harping for justice?"

He paused, as if expecting an answer Chanyeol couldn't possibly have.

Was it? He'd always thought it was but right now, everything felt muddled and unclear, making him doubt every single thing- but if Jongdae wasn't right, if he was thinking too highly of him... he _should_ be right. That should be the whole point.

"You've seen the walls they're leaning on with your own eyes now," Jongdae added, still calm. Patient. It reminded him of their fencing lessons, back when they'd had a hard time talking at all. "Of course they're not budging easily. But it would be foolish to assume a failed attempt equals none at all. It may not yield the results you hope for, but people like Jongin, Luhan and Yifan - and even Yixing - are going to take note. Huang, too, even if he doesn't want to."

_Even you?_

Chanyeol bit back on the question, wasn't even sure what it would entail and what kind of answer he'd like to hear; and he'd already received enough to ponder, really.

"So I should go back to mocking your shiny, stainless uniform?" he asked eventually, a careful attempt at a joke - if it even was one. It felt like an offer of peace, really, which was odd considering that Chanyeol hadn’t offended him this time.

Jongdae insinuated a shrug.

"If that's what you want," he hummed evenly. "As long as you're prepared for the response."

"Because you're _so_ witty," Chanyeol replied, the words slipping out before he knew it, muscle memory winning over the tension.

Jongdae's expression changed, lips tugging into that barely there smile.

"Wittier than you," he commented. "Not like that's a notable accomplishment."

Kim Jongdae was actually _smiling_ at him.  
Chanyeol scoffed, not quite sure what to do with any of this when Jongdae already turned, ready to leave. He paused with his hand on the doorknob though.

"Just so you know," he began slowly, and Chanyeol could tell the smile was gone, could tell by how subdued he was sounding. "I was being provocative just now. It's not pathetic to be... intimidated. It is not an unreasonable reaction."

Stunned, Chanyeol looked at his back, from the slightly hunched shoulders to his lowered head.

_It's not pathetic to be scared._

_Seeing all this, and feeling small and powerless is... normal._

For some reason, this sentence alone felt like it was taking an enormous weight off his shoulders.

"In fact, he invited you in for that very reason," Jongdae admitted, head turned only slightly. Like he couldn't bear facing him right now. "This man is used to getting what he wants. But you don't need to cater to him."

With that, he left before Chanyeol could think of a response.

The door was closed quietly once more, and then Chanyeol was left to himself.

Outside, the rain had grown stronger, mercilessly rapping against the glass as he pulled up his knees to look out of the window and into the barely lit streets.

That last statement could be taken negatively as well. Like Jongdae was only doing this to spite his father. There was nothing really stopping him from making this assumption and yet it didn't seem right at all.

It didn't feel right to assume that Jongdae had ulterior motives.

That realization alone was something to think about, but Chanyeol moved it to the side for the time being. Deciphering Jongdae came second. After all, he needed a clear head to even attempt such an insane task.

He stayed awake for much longer after that, switching off the lights to sit by his window as he re-played their conversation over and over again. By the time he fell asleep, the rain shower had stopped already, and the silence felt like a soothing breeze for his tired, but much more organized mind.

He had this.

* * *

The next day, he stalked up to Zitao - who had been sitting in the empty classroom they usually worked in - and _slammed_ his palm on the table hard enough to make him jump. And squeak.

"What- was that?!" Zitao demanded, trying to downplay whatever noise that had been.

Chanyeol shot him a smile. It was the kind that he knew from both his mother and his sister. The one that meant trouble.

"The sound of our plans changing," he announced simply. "Our project is boring as hell and we won't even make it into the top five with that yawn fest."

Zitao was predictably offended, lips parting but no immediate response coming out. At least none that would be fast enough to interrupt Chanyeol, who was slipping into the chair, nonchalantly closing the other's books and shifting them aside.

"You think our teacher hasn't read these books already? Bo-ring. We need to come up with something better than this. Yifan and Jongin are writing about the use of wind orbs in traditional Northern Lances for their dances. Nobody will care about this standard ass sword with a traditional orbment setting-"

"Then what do you suggest?" Zitao demanded, masking his embarrassment with anger. And poorly so, if Chanyeol was concerned.

His smile returned.

"I'm glad you're asking," he began, definitely imitating Jongdae now. "Incidentally, I do have one or two suggestions."

With that, he flipped open his notebook and turned it as he explained their new plan to Zitao.

And Huang Zitao, stubborn, spoiled noble extraordinaire, could only sit there, half angry and half stunned as Chanyeol took charge and didn't even give him a chance to refuse.

Chanyeol simply kept going, the pace a challenge in and of itself, and when he was done, he gave him a challenging look.

"So, which one will it be? This one or this one?"

Zitao bit his lips, staring at the two sets of notes and sketches.

Eventually, he reached for the first one.

"It's gonna take a while to get a hand on one of those," he said eventually, sounding stubborn for the sake of it.

Chanyeol shrugged.

"Maybe I can get one, too. Chances are looking good on my end."

After three long seconds, Zitao narrowed his eyes, placing the paper back down to glare at him.

"If we don't make it to the top of the class, I'll make your life hell."

Chanyeol smiled back, completely unfazed.

"You're flattering yourself, aren't you? But rest assured, I'm not planning to fall behind on this one. You better do your part well."

Zitao looked furious and it was funny how light that made Chanyeol feel. He was tempted to laugh at him, really.

He blamed it on feeling so weirdly energetic and was determined to make the most of it.

* * *

After his little catfight with Zitao, he walked back to the dorm to find the corrected reports lying in a neat stack on the entrance area table. He hardly got a look at the first one before Jongdae snatched it.

"I thought your report was _perfect_ already?" he asked, confused more than snarky.

Jongdae looked at him like he had switched to another language mid sentence.

"What are you talking about?"

Chanyeol blinked.

 _"You're_ the only one who didn't get a scolding from Kyungsoo-"

Jongdae only lightly shook his head.

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course he corrected mine as well. He handed it to me first, actually. How would you expect a freshman to write a flawless military report on their first attempt?"

Chanyeol looked at him, dumbfounded for a moment.

Then he snorted.

Jongdae looked at him, clearly unsure of whether to be embarrassed or weirded out.

"I don't see what was funny about this."

Chanyeol shook his head, still biting back on a grin as he grabbed his own report.

Stupid. He was so, so stupid.

Stupid enough, apparently, to not find one of Jongdae's written notes in his report until much later, when he was sitting in class. Even Kyungsoo could get things mixed up, it seemed. Not like that was a big deal. In fact, he only had to reach out and all but poke the other's back with the paper until he received an annoyed glare in return.

After all, Jongdae was sitting right in front of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was quite the fast update, uhm... I hope that's not annoying *haha*  
> But I figured 'why leave this on my laptop to catch dust, when it's already done?'  
> Also my last vacation this year is now over and I'll throw myself at the retail-christmas hell, so the next update will probably not come THAT fast, but I'll do my best ❤
> 
> I hope you guys stay warm, and if you celebrate Christmas, don't let it stress you out ❤  
> Love,  
> Sugary


	14. Flicker

Warm. Chanyeol was feeling warm and comfy. Cozy, really. It was somewhat surprising that the heat emanating off the body pressed against his chest was so... pleasant. He wasn't usually one to enjoy excessive heat but this was nice. Kind of a guilty pleasure, really, but nobody was going to catch them if they were subtle about it. Feeling the dip of a narrow waist under his fingers sent tingles down his spine and tugged at his insides. He settled on his hip, fingers resting on the sliver of exposed skin and he felt him press back immediately, felt Jongdae nestle himself further into his hold. Chanyeol buried his nose in the other’s hair, fingertips sneaking further under the fabric as he pulled him closer to where he was aching for pressure the most, and Jongdae made a small, tiny sound-

Something crashed in the distance and Chanyeol jolted awake.

For a single second, he felt terrified over being caught. Then reality caught up, making him aware of the paling sky and the very familiar blankets sticking to his clammy skin.

After that, he only felt mortified.

Absolutely, irredeemably _ mortified. _

With a wince, he turned to the side to curl in on himself - decidedly ignoring the way his nether regions were begging for attention.

As if having indecent dreams about people in your life wasn't already bad enough - but Jongdae? All because of that one night? Was he  _ that  _ touch-starved?

Chanyeol groaned into his cushion.

Who was he even trying to kid? That had been the most actual skinship he'd shared with someone in ages and considering that Jongdae wasn't a family member, it wasn't at all surprising that his libido would take the opportunity with a shrug. It was a normal reaction. Stupid, but normal.

Completely unrelated to reality.

Not to mention that  _ that night  _ never even happened. They had agreed on that.

Chanyeol sat up with a new wave of determination, trying to cool down his flushed cheeks.

It was fine. People had weird dreams all the time and nobody would ever know if he kept it to himself - which he would. Definitely.

In fact, he should try to distract himself so the dream could dissipate like most fragments remaining in the morning. Sadly,  _ not  _ thinking about certain things was notoriously hard to do and Chanyeol was terrible at it. So he swung himself out of bed and into his uniform pants, pairing them with the largest pullover he had and leaving it untucked. Just in case.

_ Nobody would even comment on this, anyway, _ he told himself as he left his room.  _ The only person shameless enough to do so would be Luhan, and he'll be either too sleepy to notice or out for club practice. It's fine- _

His thoughts came to a screeching halt as he had taken enough stairs to get a good look at the entrance area, where Jongin and Jongdae were going through their usual morning routine... joined by none other than Huang Zitao.

"What," Chanyeol stated blankly, brain refusing to provide him with a further response, or even a proper question mark, for that matter. Jongdae noticed him first, followed by Zitao himself, who was currently sitting cross legged, stretching his arms over his head.

"God, you get up late," he stated, sounding very awake and judgmental. "How do you ever get things done?"

Chanyeol parted his lips, nodding to himself as he took a deep breath.

Then the noise level in dorm three rose considerably.

_ "What are you  _ **_doing_ ** _ here?"  _ he demanded, taking the last steps to get a closer look at this new, warped kind of reality.

Zitao had the nerve to shrug.

"You were late."

"To what?" Chanyeol burst out, rubbing his eyes. Disappointingly enough, Zitao didn't magically disappear. "We weren't supposed to meet at all today!"

"And that's where you're wrong," Zitao countered easily, switching sides. "Today's a free day and this project won't get done by you lazing around."

Chanyeol gaped at him. It was all he knew to do, really. Finally, he turned to Jongin, who was looking completely blasé about all of this.

"Why did you even let him in?"

"Oh, was that not allowed?" Jongin asked right back at him, sounding genuinely worried. Zitao scoffed.

"Nonsense. Commoners may not be allowed in our dorm, but there's no such rule for the other way around."

Jongin relaxed immediately.

"Oh, that's good, then."

_ "Good?"  _ Chanyeol echoed, still shaking his head in disbelief. "Am I missing something here? Like, for instance, the moment where he apologized for being an absolute dick to you?"

"What did you say?" Zitao demanded, only to flinch when Jongin adjusted his posture - apparently, being drilled by true masters from a young age had him comply on instinct because that's exactly what Zitao did, even as he was glaring at him.

"Well," Jongin began in a pacifying tone, "I don't see any reason not to share these exercises with anyone expressing an interest."

This time, Jongdae was the one scoffing, though it came out quiet and full of refined, perfectly polished contempt.

"Maybe it would do you good to distinguish between  _ expressing an interest  _ and _ demanding a spot for themselves with no regards to your stance on it." _

"Oh, now you can talk all of a sudden," Chanyeol snapped, crossing his arms. "Why didn't  _ you  _ say something-"

"And what would I be supposed to say-" Jongdae began, voice surprisingly rising in volume and emotion, but Zitao wasn't taking well to being ignored for more than ten seconds.

"How dare you talk about me like I'm a stray cat someone let in? You should be grateful I'm meeting you halfway-"

"Okay," Luhan began, entering the dorm in his basketball uniform and sounding done already. "Why is everyone screaming at this godforsaken- what the HELL? Why are  **you** here?!"

* * *

Needless to say, breakfast was... tense.

"I can't believe you actually have to cook your own food," Zitao commented, leaning way too far into Chanyeol's personal space as he watched Yixing and Yifan put food on the table.

He had slipped into the empty seat to Chanyeol's right with an unbothered ease of someone who was naturally convinced people would be delighted by his presence. And if they weren't, they'd at least have to pretend to be.

If that truly was the case, however, dorm three had not received that memo yet.

"And I can't believe you're still here," Luhan commented, glaring at him from the other end of the table. "Don't you get fed at your own dorm?"

Zitao snorted.

"Please. We eat nothing but exquisite meals."

"Then hurry up and go get those exquisite meals," Luhan snapped, while Chanyeol pushed him back towards his own seat.

"For real. You're not even worth Yixing's cooking."

"How can you even let  _ him  _ cook?" Zitao asked next, blissfully ignoring each and every unimpressed glare sent his way in favour of focusing on Chanyeol. "He has the second-highest rank in this shoddy dorm. If anyone here should be doing chores-"

"It would be you?" Luhan cut him off. "I mean, I get where you're coming from, but I don't wanna get food poisoning. Not to mention that you're probably useless regarding ANY type of chore."

While Chanyeol half-nodded, half-shrugged to himself, Zitao looked offended.

"I am a  _ guest!" _

"An unwanted one-"

"Hey now, no need to fight," Yixing cut them off, placing a bowl of steaming bread rolls on the table. "There's enough food for everyone, isn't there?"

"You are way too nice, Xing," Chanyeol grumbled, reaching for one of the baked goods. Recently, Yixing had discovered freshly baked bread for himself, claiming it to be an easily prepared breakfast. Chanyeol certainly wasn't complaining - not when the results were so heavenly.

Luhan was also grumbling something to himself as he spread some home-made berry jam over one half of his roll. It was quite the change to see Luhan being the controntational one for once. Part of Chanyeol found it satisfying if only because Luhan was right and they had every right to kick out the uninvited, noble brat and the others were either too nice (in case of Yixing and Jongin) or too passive (for Yifan and Jongdae) to do anything about it. While Yifan did seem quietly unhappy about the other’s presence, Jongdae's animosity somehow managed to be more scalding than Luhans though, despite him not saying a single word. Chanyeol had noticed straight away that Jongdae seemed to be in a foul mood; he was currently staring at his food, avoiding anyone's gaze, with his posture even more refined and rigid than usual. The sight reminded him of their first days at the dorm, and Chanyeol was pretty sure people would interpret it as a display of discomfort and as a general defense mechanism. He knew better though.    
Jongdae was annoyed.

"So it's true that you also have to clean this place? Outrageous," Zitao commented, naturally arrogant and still ignorant to the fact that Luhan was  _ very  _ close to bodily throwing him out.

"Knowing to do household chores is good for ones' character," Yixing threw in, serene as ever. "They're not only good exercises for your body, they also have a cleansing effect on your mind."

"Plus, this is a military academy," Chanyeol added. "Good luck telling a superior that you're too important to get your hands dirty. In fact, your first practical field exercise is going to be a fiasco I wouldn't wanna miss."

"I already had a practical exercise and I aced it," Zitao insisted stubbornly. "Unlike your little tour through Bareahard, we were tasked with securing a dangerous crime scene-"

"Ah, the escaped zoo animals? Yeah, I'm sure people were very glad to have you guys there," Luhan said sarcastically. "Bet you were their favourite. Did you run screaming from a butterfly?"

Chanyeol snorted while Zitao turned very red.

"That is not funny-"

"Oh, I think it's hilarious," Luhan countered with a shrug. "Did one of the bunnies bite you? I heard that there was quite some screaming involved-"

"Who told you that?"

"If I said you were squealing loud enough for me to hear it-"

The kitchen door opened and their instructor entered, causing everyone to fall silent immediately. His military uniform looked prim and proper as always in all its black and violet glory, betraying that he was going to spend his free day venturing out on military-related matters. It was something they were used to by now, just how they learnt that none of their questions regarding those would ever be answered.

They had also learnt by now that if there was one thing Do Kyungsoo truly couldn't stand - and that wasn't education-related - it would be noise.

His brows furrowed as he zeroed in on Zitao immediately.

The boy surprised Chanyeol by proving he had enough common sense to be scared of the intense stare sent his way. He could just see him mentally going over every instance of him vocally putting down their instructor and regretting it.

For the longest three seconds of their entire life, Kyungsoo stared at Zitao.

Then he sighed, slightly shaking his head in a gesture that radiated "whatever," before making his way to the kitchen aisle. Again, Zitao prove at least basic intelligence by keeping his mouth shut as he reached for a second bread roll while Yixing made airy smalltalk with their instructor.

Despite Chanyeol occasionally glaring at him, nudging him every once in a while, the other not only helped himself to Chanyeol's clean cutlery, he also inhaled no less than four rolls - completely unbothered by Chanyeol complaining under his breath and Jongdae shooting him subtle, cool glances whenever he wasn't looking.

By the end of their breakfast, Chanyeol had not only gained a totally different kind of contempt for nobles, he was also not looking forward to the rest of the day.

* * *

"There's a stain on your uniform."

Chanyeol rolled his eyes, half-heartedly scratching at a smudged spot of black on his thigh.

"That's usually what happens if you engage in actual work," he countered.

_ 'What, you lose the ability to do your laundry?'  _ he heard Jongdae ask in his mind, but the person next to him wasn't Jongdae. At all.

"How about you learn not to get dirty, then?" Zitao suggested, crossing his arms with a disapproving look, paired with a sigh. "I can't believe I'm being seen with you. Embarrassing."

Chanyeol bit back on a groan.

If he thought bickering with Jongdae was the most mentally draining thing to do, this day sure was out to teach him otherwise. Zitao was every bit as confrontational but lacked the restraint and finesse that Jongdae loved to flaunt in order to tick him off. Zitao was nothing but a spoiled noble to the core and just being in his vicinity was  _ exhausting. _

Which was why Chanyeol was already tired of fighting him and pretended not hearing at least half the things he said or did.

"And there we are," was all he said, stopping in front of the only general goods store in their tiny town. "Here's to hoping they actually got it-"

Zitao walked past him with no inhibitions, entering the store like he owned it and leaving Chanyeol to follow with a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Luckily, no one else was inside the store to witness the way Zitao pranced up to the counter, not even bothering to smile at the old lady manning it.

"Good day," he began, dripping nobility from his posture to the arrogant inflection in his voice. "I am here to get the weapon I have ordered."

Old lady Yeni seemed confused.

"Weapon?" she echoed, shaking her head. "We don't deal with weapons, young man. You might want to try the weaponry down the street. Oh, hello Chanyeol. What brings you here today?"

Before Chanyeol could attempt to explain, Zitao stepped between them.

"I did place the order here, and I was told that it would arrive by Saturday," he added stubbornly. "Now it's Sunday."

"I'm telling you, you're at the wrong store, boy," the woman insisted patiently. "There's a store selling weapons for students just down the street, you can hardly miss it-"

Zitao groaned, looking around the store.

"Is the store owner here?"

Chanyeol could only cringe as the usually friendly lady was starting to narrow her eyes at him.

"My husband? He's out but I can assure you I have full authority. Authority to ask you to leave, as well."

"Is that a threat?" Zitao asked, already bristling, and Chanyeol decided that enough was enough, unceremoniously pushing him aside mid-sentence.

"I'll have you know that I'm-"

"-extremely sorry for being so rude," Chanyeol finished for him, purposefully stepping forward to make eye contact with the lady. "Please excuse my friend. He's had a bad day."

_ Friend.  _ Chanyeol considered a lot of people friends, so the phrase had slipped out all-too naturally. While he did regret it, there was no point in clarifying. After all, he wanted this situation resolved as peacefully as possible. Just as he thought that, Zitao opened his mouth and Chanyeol stepped on his foot. Hard.

_ Well,  _ he thought to himself, ignoring the other's yelp,  _ peaceful for the old lady, that is. _

"Anyway, I'm aware you're not usually the place to go to for weaponry of any kind," he continued smoothly, ceasing his opening as Zitao was still wincing in pain, "but we were looking for something rather unusual and your husband mentioned that he might be able to help us out. It's for a school project."

"Oh, really?" the old lady asked, her mood shifting immediately."What kind of weapon? I can see if he has it stored in the back somewhere."

"It's a gunsword," Chanyeol explained right away. "I'm sure you've seen one before."

The last comment had her smile at him.

"Whatever makes you say that to such a tranquil old lady manning a general goods store in such a peaceful little town?" she asked, a spark of mischief dancing beneath a surface hardened over the years.

Chanyeol's smile didn't falter.

"Oh, I'm sure you see all sorts of things over the years," he shrugged in faux innocence. "Life can be funny like that."

Old lady Yeni actually laughed at that, patting his arm.

"You have an eye for people and a talent for words, young man," she announced, playfully scolding him. "Not that it's going to work on me. But I appreciate the effort. Now let me see if I can find what you're looking for."

They left the store no longer than five minutes after with an old, but very much functioning gunsword secured in a bag. Zitao was outraged.

"Why did she give it to you just like that when she was being so fussy before?" he all but demanded in genuine disbelief. "Do you know that woman? You made it sound like you do."

It was funny how accusatory he managed to sound, considering that Chanyeol had just saved their project.

He only shrugged.

"The engineering club orders stuff on the regular and we newbies are the ones responsible for picking them up. Nothing more, nothing less."

"So it really was because of your relations," Zitao deducted, looking unhappy still. "I hope you’re not planning on labeling  _ me  _ as one of your relations in the future. I refuse to act as your stepping stone."

Chanyeol scoffed, but Zitao didn't pay him any heed.

"It makes no sense though. Personal relations come second to name and rank. I could buy their entire store. Stubborn old woman."

Chanyeol purposely bumped into him.

"I don't wanna hear that from you," he said. "You're more stubborn than an old donkey yourself. Ever considered that being nice to people might yield results as well?"

Zitao looked equal parts angry and confused.

"Why would that matter? She's obligated to do my bidding, anyway. If it weren't for your meddling, I would have gotten this settled myself-"

"And it would have been a disaster," Chanyeol cut him off, wondering if Zitao's mere presence would be enough to give him a headache. He sighed.

"Come on, it's not orbmental science. Would you be happy to  _ do people's bidding  _ if they talked to you like that? Would you gladly scrub Jongdae's shoes if he tossed them after you?"

Zitao shrugged.

"We're barely apart in rank but probably. It's where I'm standing, after all. Unlike you, I actually know my place."

Chanyeol could only stare at him, waiting for his mind to supply him with an argument strong enough to pierce what appeared to be a wall made of stone.

Ancient stone.

_ You have seen the pillars they lean on,  _ Jongdae had said back then. It rang true - Huang Zitao was naturally convinced that what he said was true. He stood there in his pretty white uniform, perfectly groomed hair and nails, and he genuinely believed he was worthier than others. And Chanyeol had no idea how to convince him otherwise. Part of him wished he was back at the dorm right now. Yixing would have known what to say now. Even Jongdae would have had a sentence or two on that.

Chanyeol, though? He could only shake his head, and continue on his way back to the dorm.

"What?" Zitao demanded, stalking after him, grabbing for his arm. "Why are you shaking your head? Don't you dare ignore me-"

"You're driving me insane," Chanyeol blurted out, ripping himself free. "What do  _ you  _ want from  _ me?  _ I'm not going to agree with you. Ever. You think I'll kiss your hand and thank you for stepping all over me? That's just delusional. You're so out of touch with reality that I can't help but wonder how people can stand you at all. Does any of the noble guys hang out with you voluntarily?"

He was being quite mean right now, but it had slipped out before he knew it, and there wasn't even a cruel intent behind it, not really.

Zitao was turning red again - from anger or humiliation, Chanyeol didn't know.

"Of course they do," he replied without thinking, and when Chanyeol only responded with a doubtful look, he crossed his arms, turning defensive. "Because unlike you and your acquaintances, everyone has accepted the order of things and thus, people get along perfectly-"

"They're not my acquaintances, they're my  _ friends,"  _ Chanyeol cut him off, completely focused on Zitao now as a very familiar anger bubbled up again. "And I'm sorry for labelling you as one of them earlier. Sorry to myself. And to my actual friends."

"Well, you could just as well apologize to me," Zitao had the nerve to spit out, but Chanyeol wasn't having it.

"But I won't!" he snapped, throwing up his arms. "I won't apologize for anything I've ever said to you, and I could write you an essay on the reasons but why bother? In fact- why do you even bother talking to me?"

He was really starting to run hot and Chanyeol knew that turning away to leave would be the smartest decision right now, but the accumulated frustration needed an out, and if Zitao was begging for a piece of his mind, he could just as well have it.

"Why do you keep pestering me?" he demanded next, stopping in the middle of the street. There was no one in earshot - not that Chanyeol would have cared about having an audience. "What do you want? My approval? My submission? Whatever it is, what's it to you? Why does it matter? Why would you need to assert dominance if you think you already have it and you're oh-so convinced I'm not a threat to you?"

Zitao stared at him, angry, stubborn, and entirely out of words.

"I don't know whether you're insecure or just secretly aware that you're really not all that, but whatever it is, it does not give you the right to make people's lives hard for no reason."

As he was talking, things seemed to fall into place all on their own, with his thoughts and anger slipping into the words needed to be properly expressed. For the first time, he felt like he was really talking to the person that was Huang Zitao.

"Maybe, instead of harping on about your place in this world, it would do you some good to get your ass out of said place and take a good look around you. Because whatever you're looking for, you're not gonna find it like this," he stated, firm and sure, putting a tiny crack into the other's angry expression. It was just a flicker of insecurity, the tiniest opening in a wall of egocentricity, but Chanyeol was too far gone to halt now.

"And maybe one day you'll realize that people may be bound to serve you but that no one - neither noble nor commoner nor anyone else - is obligated to  _ care  _ for you. You gotta earn that."

The silence following his outburst was deafening. He knew what anger looked like on Zitao's face, and he'd seen him both disappointed, annoyed, and genuinely shocked before.

He had no idea what kind of emotion he was looking at right now though.

Before he could even begin to let the words sink in, however, a melodic voice called out to them.

"Zitao. I didn't expect to meet you here. You skipped practice this morning."

Chanyeol whipped around to see a pretty senior approach them. It didn't take him long to put a name to his face - there had never been a reason for him to acknowledge Byun Baekhyun's existence, but it was hard not to know about him, with him being the leader of the fencing club and striking in his appearance and popularity. He was also known to smile a lot, and for being very sociable as well as graceful. Chanyeol could see all of that displayed right now.

Zitao blinked and the spell was broken.

"I- was going to attend the evening practice," he said, clearly trying to slip back into the rhythm after Chanyeol's verbal slap to the face. "Since I moved my practice with the longsword to the morning hours."

Baekhyun waved him off.

"I know, I remember you mentioning that. I was merely jesting," he commented casually. Chanyeol only shot him a wary stare. There was something unnerving about his smile. It reminded him of watching a very self-satisfied predator on the hunt, and he didn't like it one bit. Not to mention that he was pretty certain the other had approached them simply out of nosiness since he apparently had no urgent matter to discuss. Baekhyun confirmed that thought as soon as it had crossed Chanyeol's mind.

"You seem a little out of it," he commented next, sounding genuinely empathetic while he talked about Chanyeol like he wasn't even present. "Is your study partner giving you trouble?"

Zitao's eyes were flitting to him, the glare unmistakeable, but accompanied by a flicker of... something else. Some sort of conflict.

Chanyeol stared back at him with his head held high, daring him to tattle to his senior.

For the first time that day, however, Zitao surprised him.

"Not any more than they usually do," he said dismissively, regaining most of his usual, haughty demeanour. "Nothing I can't handle."

Baekhyun chuckled.

"Well, we all know how the uneducated can be."

"And how about you say that again, but to my face?" Chanyeol suggested blankly.

When Baekhyun turned towards him, it was with a look of mock surprise that quickly melted back into the wide, bright smile.

"Excuse me? I didn't realize you were addressing me. You were saying?"

The way Zitao was grimacing ever so slightly should have been a fair warning but Chanyeol chose to ignore it, instead opting to speak slower and enunciating every word very clearly.

"I said  _ why don't you say that to my face?" _

Baekhyun stared at him, eyes narrowing slightly as the atmosphere dropped.

Then the other relaxed again, voice turning even sweeter.

"Your inadequacy won't go away by yelling at me. Then again, I don't see many options for you in general, so I understand why you would feel like resorting to crudeness. Despair is humanity's biggest enemy, after all."

Under any other circumstances, Chanyeol would have taken this as an invitation to get even louder but in that very moment, all he had was a vaguely disgusted "could have fooled me," before turning on his heels and leaving.

Something about the way Baekhyun had said it - something about the utter, unrelenting conviction and confidence, and the fact that he did not seem driven by raw emotions like Zitao - reminded him of a certain other noble. And Chanyeol hated it. Hated Baekhyun.

Despite everything that had happened in the past, this short encounter was enough for him to decide that he despised him even more than Zitao. And he already wanted to see  _ that  _ guy run into a pole.

He came to a halt and threw his head back to groan out loud.

"God, I hate nobles," he said to no one in particular.

Then he took a deep breath, counting to five in his head.

He exhaled, relaxing his grip on the bag in his hand, and changed directions to head for the engineering building.

Time to distract himself by doing something productive.

At least that's what he told himself - sadly, his brain didn’t turn out to be all that cooperative, so he busied himself with simple tasks, giving in to the insistent thoughts about Huang Zitao, Byun Baekhyun, Jongdae, and nobles in general. Sure, they drove him mad, but each of them was annoying in a distinctly different way, and Chanyeol was bothered by the fact that he was unable to put his finger on it. Zitao was a bit of an easy case - spoiled rotten, probably more conceited than even the royal family had any right to be, but fundamentally simple-minded. He was pretty straight-forward and that made him easier to handle.

The other two, however, were not nearly that simple.

So what exactly made Byun such an insufferable jerk, and what was it that Jongdae did differently? There was no doubt that Jongdae made Chanyeol want to tear his hair out, but he didn't make him feel... sick.

He paused, staring at the overly neat arrangement of tiny screws.

Maybe it was that Byun Baekhyun meant it. He genuinely meant all the cruelties throwing people's way, wrapped up in candid smiles and sharp gazes, and that was the reason he was so repulsive and reminded him of Jongdae’s father. In turn, that would mean that Jongdae  _ didn't  _ mean his comments seriously, and Chanyeol hadn't been aware of that, but at the same time... he had. Deep down, he'd realized pretty quickly that Jongdae held no genuine disgust towards any of their commoner dorm members, and  _ that  _ was the reason it was so easy to argue with him. While Chanyeol could snap at him and list arguments, going all out with no restraint, it was mostly indulgent from Jongdae's end. Nothing more than harmless taunts to provoke him.

The realization felt strangely major, considering that part of him had apparently known this all along.

He'd always been driven by the urge to prove himself to Jongdae, but only a couple weeks had been enough to convince him that this was exclusive to him. There was no need to protect the others from Jongdae. It had turned into a thing between  _ them  _ pretty fast - which meant that in a bizarre way, their conflict wasn't about nobility at all, was it?

"Chanyeol?"

He looked up from his parts, glad for the interruption - all this thinking was making his head hurt.

One of his fellow freshmen club members was standing there, a palm hovering resting on his table.

"You forgot about your noble boy again," he said, purposefully casual, though there was certainly a hint of amusement resting in the quirk of his lips. "You might wanna let him know that our doors are open for a reason."

Confused, Chanyeol stared at him.

"Huh?"

"I mean, it's not like anyone will kick him out," the other added, blissfully missing the point. "At this rate, people will start labelling us as having an anti-nobility attitude."

Still perplexed, Chanyeol got to his feet. It was hard to believe that Zitao would stalk him to the club now after what he’d thrown at him- then again...

Chanyeol sighed. Who was he kidding, it was more than likely. That boy just didn't know when to give up.

As he opened the door, he was greeted with none other than Jongdae, and the prepared insult got stuck in his throat.

He was crouching in the grass to the side of the building, petting a familiar, reddish cat. Both the cat and Jongdae seemed stuck in their own bubble, with the cat purring and Jongdae wearing a small, soft smile. For a few, long seconds, Chanyeol watched them with crossed arms.

_ There he goes, smiling again,  _ Chanyeol thought to himself.  _ What's the world coming to? _

"Communicating with your kind?"

Jongdae flinched, startling the cat as he did so. Then, without turning, he closed his eyes and sighed.

"Can't you introduce yourself like a normal person?"

"Can't  _ you  _ utilize the high-tech mechanisms we call doors?" Chanyeol asked back, already approaching to kneel down and scratch the cat behind his ears. "You do realize that no one's gonna open them for you, do you?"

"Why would I want to enter the engineering building? I have nothing that needs repairing," Jongdae said, stubborn gaze resting on the cat, which was elated over the increase in pets, repeatedly rubbing his head against his knees.

"So you just... happened to walk by and decided to pet Elliot?"

"Is that his name?" Jongdae asked, growing bolder upon hearing the cat purr over Chanyeol's actions.

"Yeah," Chanyeol hummed, watching him carefully scratch a spot under Elliot's chin. "He belongs to no one, really, and he comes and goes, but I guess you could say he prefers our club. Apparently, the roof is a great sunbathing spot and Minseok gets along well with him."

"I see."

"So," Chanyeol tried again, glancing at Jongdae, who seemed  _ very  _ focused on petting Elliot, "what brings you here again?"

"I told you I just happened to walk past when I saw the cat," Jongdae muttered, and Chanyeol hummed, making it known that he wasn't believing him even one bit.

It didn't take long for Jongdae to cave.

"I've improved it. My usage of fire orbs, I mean," he added, shooting him the briefest glance before turning back to the cat who no doubt interpreted his frequent blinking as friendliness. "And you made it sound like there would be more than one lesson."

It was the most curious enunciation, a perfect split between a statement and a loose end.

Chanyeol chuckled.

"Why didn't you just say so? Of course I have more to teach you. I barely even started."

With that, he got to his feet first, arms stretched over his head.

"Let me just get a few tools and I'll be right there."

Jongdae's fingers came to a stop over the cats’ head, much to his dismay.

"Right now?" he asked, looking surprised.

"Not like I got anything better to do - and neither do you, apparently," Chanyeol shrugged, already returning to the club building, mentally recounting his plans for their second lesson. Maybe he was a bit too excited about this but Chanyeol was a fire orb enthusiast and he rarely got to teach people things. Jongdae sure poised a challenge but he was also intelligent and determined, which really made this task much less draining than it could be.

_ And yes,  _ Chanyeol sighed to himself as he stuffed a few more things into a metal box. It also helped that they weren't on the verge of scratching each other’s eyes out all the time anymore.

"If you want me to scratch your already overblown ego, you're in for a surprise," Jongdae stated, sounding slightly defensive.

Chanyeol goodnaturedly rolled his eyes and leaned back on his hands to enjoy the few sun rays reaching them. They had chosen to practice just outside the school campus, on a little grassy slope off the main road. People would have to really go out of their way to see them and grass didn't catch fire easily, making this a perfect spot in Chanyeol's opinion. Jongdae  _ had  _ made a face at the sight of more grass to potentially stain his knees, but had sat down without any verbal complaint. Not that his pride was in any less of a stellar condition than usual.

"Like I need  _ you  _ to boost my ego," Chanyeol said, ignoring the fact that Jongdae had done just that not too long ago. "I'm asking because you've obviously improved and you should know best what helped you. If Jongin's lessons didn't play into it at all, just say so. It'll give me a better idea of what to do next."

Jongdae shot him a long, doubtful look, before relenting with a sigh.

"I do think they were quite helpful," he admitted, purposefully neutral, as his gaze rested on the measuring device between them.

Chanyeol nodded to himself.

"Good. I can see your pull got much stronger. Let's see about your flexibility next."

He procured a second measuring tool, identical to the first.

"Alright. Let's see how far your piano fingers are going to get you this time," he said with a grin, setting a few basic orbs before placing his fingers over them. "Try to copy me."

He started out easy, activating only one orb at a time, pulling out a medium amount of energy and watching the red lines on the display grow accordingly.

Even at this simple phase, Jongdae seemed fully concentrated, focusing on getting a feel for the amount of energy the lights equaled.

Chanyeol's eyes flickered between the boards and him as he picked up the pace, varying the pull. He'd barely activate one orb before jumping to the next, demanding much more, and when Jongdae stopped struggling, he began to activate multiple orbs at once.

While Jongdae was staring at the boards, highly focused, Chanyeol watched him instead, gaze wandering from his face to his fingers.

There was certainly a strain to his expression and his movements were losing grace as he was starting to tumble. His reflexes were great, as expected, and he had no trouble switching between low and high energy, but a bit of careful observation betrayed that he was still lacking power - he did follow Chanyeol's lead, but whenever Chanyeol was really forcing everything out of the tiny orb, Jongdae stopped somewhere around a medium level, already moving on. Their instructor would probably put it down to sloppiness and a lack of accuracy... and in a way, she'd be right.

Chanyeol still felt himself grin by the time he stopped abruptly (only to see the surprise on the other's face).

"Good job," he quipped, clenching his fist to loosen up again.

Jongdae did the same, all while shooting him a wary look.

"It wasn't nearly as clean as it should have been," he stated right away, being the perfectionist he was.

Chanyeol shrugged, already taking apart his own device.

"That means you have a grip on your comfort zone and instinctively stay there. Handling fire orbs isn't a courage test. Safety comes first."

"I don't think I've ever heard something this reasonable coming from you," Jongdae deadpanned, but he mirrored Chanyeol's actions, anyway. "Was that it?"

"Please," Chanyeol dismissed him, already reaching for his toolbox. "Where would the merit in that be? I was simply checking to see how you're moving along. Now comes the real test."

Jongdae remained wary as he eyed Chanyeol placing two metal objects on the grass.

"And what are these?"

"What do you think they are?" Chanyeol asked right back, placing the orbs into the round, flat surface.

"Appearance-wise, they look like candlesticks," Jongdae admitted, not sounding particularly impressed.

"And that," Chanyeol began, pointing a finger at him, "is pretty much true. A little stronger though. More similar to a blow torch. We use these at the club whenever we need to melt stuff."

He adjusted the settings and finally placed his hand around the base. It felt like he was keeping a wine glass from tipping over - definitely unusual and impractical and not the way they’d use them at the club. But for this purpose, it would be perfect.

Jongdae imitated him, obviously unsure as to where this was going.

"Should I light it?"

Chanyeol nodded.

"Go ahead."

He watched the orbs flicker to life under the other's hands, watched the tick of confusion as he realized the device was demanding a higher output. Eventually, though, Jondgae managed to light the orbal torch, producing a steady, yellow flame that seemed just easy enough for him to uphold.

"Comfy?" Chanyeol asked. Jongdae nodded.

"Good."

With this, he lit his own torch, operating with the exact same settings. It wasn't a strain at all for him but this wasn't about him.

"So, you got a better idea of what's the key to operating these?" he asked conversationally.

Jongdae didn't hesitate.

"I think I do."

When Chanyeol didn't immediately say anything, Jongdae saw himself forced to elaborate.

"It's about allowing myself... to breathe," he said slowly - awkwardly, really.

Chanyeol decided to cut him some slack; straight-forwardness and honesty may be needed to reign in wind orbs, but fire was much simpler than that, and Jongdae wasn't wrong.

_ Allow yourself to be yourself,  _ that's how Chanyeol had learnt it as a kid. Apparently, he'd always been exceptionally good at that, even though the people around him liked to complain about that very trait of his.

"Right again," Chanyeol provided with a grin. "Look at you, you're on a roll."

"I'll thank you not to make fun of me," Jongdae sighed, and his flame flickered.

"Scared of compliments, huh? Well, that's only going to make this easier... for me, that is."

When Jongdae only had a dubious look in response, Chanyeol sat up straight, slipping into a comfortable position.

"Let's play a game. The first one whose flame goes out, loses."

Jongdae blinked.

"An endurance test?"

Chanyeol shrugged.

"Maybe. Maybe not. From here on out, words are your only weapon."

Seeing the confusion on Jongdae's face was maybe a little too fun, but Chanyeol couldn't help himself.

"I'll go first. What's your favourite color?"

"I don't- understand," Jongdae admitted, brows still furrowed. Chanyeol wasn't fazed.

"Your favourite color," he repeated patiently.

"I haven't put much thought into it," Jongdae stated dismissively, gaze flitting from the candle flame back to Jongdae. "Green, probably. Now what does that have to do with-"

"Okay, cool. You want to ask me something, too?" Chanyeol cut him off. Perplexion made way for mild irritation.

"You mean, aside from what exactly you're planning? Not really."

Chanyeol was still smiling brightly, no doubt channelling his inner Yixing.

"Okay then. So it's me again, right? Let's see... when did you last think Sehun was adorable?"

Jongdae's expression froze - and his flame flickered vicariously.

Understanding blossomed on the others face and the heat of the fire seemed to get to him much faster all of a sudden.    
He had to have realized it by now - that Chanyeol was trying to tip his balance, and that the flame was too strenuous to uphold when his mind wasn’t set and perfectly sorted out.

"That's-" he began, looking for words, and only after nursing his flame back to normal, did he end on a simple, "low. Very low."

He was glaring at Chanyeol now. The sight was somewhat funny.

"I never said you had to answer," Chanyeol said easily, a bit of faux innocence sprinkled on top, for good measure. "I'm just asking."

It was nothing but the truth - his goal wasn't to humiliate Jongdae. His goal was to prod and challenge him, to confront him with whatever might get him to hit his limits of self-expression and, in turn, gain a deeper understanding of his own limitations. He was effectively trying to trigger denial in him, and whether or not Jongdae voiced out a response didn't matter. It only mattered whether he was true to himself or not.

"Well. In that case, I'm not answering," Jongdae said eventually, still highly unamused.

Chanyeol hummed.

"Sure. Any questions for me?"

The flame flickered at that. Jongdae held his gaze though.

"No," he said firmly.

"Suit yourself," Chanyeol shrugged. "Then how about this... what's so interesting about photography to you?"

The candle flame flickered once more, and once more did Jongdae forego glaring at him in favour of calming the flame first.

"Where do you even get that photography nonsense from? Just because my brother suggested it?"

"For a nonsense topic, you sure have quite a few books about it," Chanyeol said nonchalantly. Understanding turned to a blank expression.

"Talk about respecting peoples’ privacy."

"Are you pouting?"

The flame flickered again.

"No? Are you going to keep talking my ear off or are we having a test here?"

Chanyeol tried not to look  _ too  _ amused.

"I never said our talk would have to be reduced to questions only, did I? But sure, back to those-"

"This is hardly fair," Jongdae cut him off, and he seemed loosened up enough to allow an actual whine into his voice. It may be small, but Chanyeol heard it clearly, and saw it in the surprising steadfastness of the flame - he may be uncomfortable, but in a way, he was much more comfortable than when they'd first met.

"Is this game too difficult for your highness?" he asked teasingly, leaning back on one hand while the other kept the flame alive. Jongdae gave him yet another glare.

"How am I supposed to even attempt to win this? There's absolutely nothing you'd be embarrassed about."

Chanyeol snorted.

"You think so?"

"I know so. You are easily the most shameless person I have ever met and could probably not spell  _ restraint  _ if someone were to write it down for you," Jongdae replied without a smidge of hesitation. "There's nothing I could be asking or telling you that would make that flame flicker and you know it."

Chanyeol bit back on his grin.

"Well, I think you're giving me a bit too much credit here, but sure. You can think of it as a mirror to your sword-fighting lesson."

"So I'm not meant to win," Jongdae deadpanned. Chanyeol gave him a one-sided shrug.

"I never said you couldn't. Feel free to try."

The next seconds were spent in silence as Jongdae stared into the flame, obviously trying to think of something,  _ anything  _ to confront Chanyeol with.

Chanyeol half-expected him to make a jab aimed at the Bareahard aftermath, but Jongdae was smarter than that; because now that Chanyeol had come to terms with the situation and found his resolve, thinking back to it would hardly trigger any denial - quite the opposite, probably. Chanyeol tended to be at his most impressive when he was fuelled by nobility-driven, genuine anger, and he couldn't even deny  _ that. _

After what had to be almost a minute of silence, Jongdae looked up, a tick of concentration betraying his blasé facade.

"Alright. When are you going to admit that you and Huang Zitao are quite similar?"

Chanyeol's first, visceral reaction was to bristle.

His flame flickered, and both their gazes flitted to it and back.

There was a clear challenge in Jongdae's eyes now, confident enough to surpass the insecurity, and Chanyeol hurried to put a damper on his own temper.

_ Think first, speak afterwards. _

He didn't  _ want  _ to be similar to Zitao (the flame flickered) and he was most certainly not spoiled and self-centered like him (it flickered some more) but... they were both straight-forward and headstrong. Kinda hot-headed, too. Maybe, if Zitao had grown up under his circumstances...

"Sure," Chanyeol hummed eventually. "I guess you could look at it that way."

His flame was perfectly calm and Jongdae deflated slightly.

"See? I doubt there's anything for me to grasp onto here. You have much more on me than I have on you, anyway."

"You think so?" Chanyeol asked. As far as he was concerned, Jongdae had pretty much seen him at his lowest a ridiculous amount of times, and had probably gotten more of his opinions and attitude than anyone else in dorm three combined.

"I don't think you're missing out on much," he said. Jongdae lightly shook his head.

"Of course you'd say that. It doesn't change my point that the scales are tipped a ridiculous amount here. My upbringing has trained me to be- _ this way, _ so you can simply refer to whatever glimpse you've gotten. In fact, you could probably put out this flame by asking me about my latest exam results."

His flame was calm as a lake. He was very much speaking the truth, and Chanyeol smiled at the sight.

"Kinda pessimistic and a bit whiny, huh? Well, there's no shame in feeling that way. Having no prospects of winning sucks."

Jongdae's wary expression smoothed out into mild surprise, and the flame stood steady still.

"You said it yourself earlier," Chanyeol added. "First and foremost, you need to allow yourself to breathe. Allow yourself to be yourself. The flame says you're doing quite alright."

Embarrassed, Jongdae broke eye contact.

"Well, that's probably due to the fact that you stopped asking me questions."

Chanyeol hummed.

"Yes, yes, I'm getting to it already," he said in faux exasperation. His smile slowly faded, though, when a certain thought took the chance to rise to the surface.

"Say, did you get in trouble back there? At your villa?" he asked, voice dropping as he watched Jongdae carefully. The other only reacted by knitting his brows together in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you said your father had ulterior motives for inviting us over," Chanyeol trailed off, knowing full well that he was treading on thin ice. "But he also explicitly demanded to talk to you in private. I was just wondering whether you got in trouble."

It was true - he  _ had  _ been wondering about that, completely unrelated to this little practice session.

Jongdae blinked, clearly taken aback. Ultimately, however, the candle flame had done nothing but quiver in uncertainty as he'd initially heard the question. It was perfectly calm now.

"It was nothing but a minor scolding. To my understanding, those are quite common between parents and children."

"So you did mess up."

"He was merely dissatisfied with me choosing to stay at the third dorm. It wasn't the first time I disappointed him and it will likely not be the last," Jongdae said dismissively. "It's nothing to worry about."

_ Huh,  _ Chanyeol thought to himself.  _ Interesting.  _ Something about this response was interesting but he didn't get any further questions in as Jongdae sighed.

"Why am I even answering this? Either way, it's my turn now," he stated with fresh determination. His next question came out surprisingly fast, and somehow felt like it followed Chanyeol's last one.

"What's the name of the house that made you blame the nobility for everything bad happening in the world?"

It was Chanyeol's turn to feel caught off guard now. He had no idea what he'd expected, but this sure wasn't it.

He looked around their surroundings with a frown, fingers tapping on the device as he tried to remember.

"Cho, I guess? I mean, there were quite a few nobles back then, but that sibling duo really cemented it, I'd say."

Jongdae barely had to think about it.

"The small barony east of Roer, near the border?" he asked in mild disbelief. The speed at which he'd replied was maybe the first and only time Chanyeol could say that he reminded him of his father. How many hours had he spent learning all these names and locations by heart?

Chanyeol could only shrug.

"Yeah. The size of their grounds doesn't really matter, does it? Any form of nobility puts you in a higher place than the common folk. My school had people from all over the area, kinda like the Academy."

"And they used their name against you?" Jongdae asked with thinly veiled distaste dusting every syllable.

Chanyeol chuckled, even though this was hardly a laughing matter.

"Not me. That would have been fine. They ganged up on a few people, but one girl... they made her life hell. I guess she only stayed for as long as she did to make her parents proud? You know there's not really another school in the area unless you go to the capital."

Jongdae nodded.

"It's either this or Sunday school."

"Yeah," Chanyeol trailed off. It was by far not the first time he thought back to these days, but definitely the most conscious one. "Maybe a pastor would not have tolerated such nonsense, but who can really tell? Our teachers certainly looked the other way."

He adjusted his posture, absently running his fingertips over the metal without compromising the flame.

"Even looking back years later, it was... brutal, really. Whatever kind of harassment you could think of, they'd engage in it like it was some sort of competition. Sure, we were all kids back then, but you'd be surprised what children can come up with."

"I probably would be," Jongdae admitted quietly.

Chanyeol nodded to himself more than anything.

"Yeah. Not a fun time. I mean, of course I tried to put a stop to it. But at some point, she got really mad at me for doing so."

For a moment, Jongdae seemed confused, but of course he understood the implications quickly. All of this was a game he'd been born into, after all.

Chanyeol still spelled it out.

"She yelled at me to stop it, telling me I made it all worse," he sighed, biting his lips to buy himself more time. "I think that was the trigger, actually. Should have answered  _ her  _ name, huh? But it doesn't feel quite right."

"Because it wouldn't have been," Jongdae said calmly, gaze somber. "What became of her?"

Chanyeol shrugged.

"She ended up leaving the school, after all, shortly before we all graduated. I hope she's doing well now."

"Not hoping for revenge, I see?" Jongdae stated rather than asked, and Chanyeol shook his head.

"Nah, she's suffered enough. I'll take care of that. I'll kick every noble's butt and I'll do it right this time."

Jongdae lifted an eyebrow at that.

"Oh? Does that include me? And Yixing?"

"...fine. Every noble who asks for it," Chanyeol corrected himself begrudgingly.

Jongdae huffed out a faint chuckle at that, and Chanyeol narrowed his eyes at him.

"What? If you're about to tell me to grow up, you can save it. I'm not gonna pretend like I have forgiven them. Though I guess you can figure that much."

"Forgiveness needs to be earned," Jongdae only hummed, every trace of mirth already faded. "And sometimes, the price seems too high to even be achieved in one lifetime."

Chanyeol blinked. It was commonly preached by society that forgiving people was the right thing to do. To have someone as well-mannered and perfectly groomed as Jongdae express doubts about that was a bit surprising.

"Either way, I can't believe you even disclosed such a story without a trace of hesitation," Jongdae sighed, staring forlorny at Chanyeol's ever so steady flame.

"Well, why not? I would have told you or the others any day - you just never asked," Chanyeol said flippantly, ready to move on from this topic. Much unlike Jongdae, who was still staring at the flames without really seeing them. Seeing him so... gloomy, really, had not been his intention at all. He may know how to handle bored, angry, stuck up, or moody Jongdae, but this was new and unknown territory.

He observed the others features that lacked every bit of the purposeful mask he’d worn during their breakfast as he was struck by a sudden idea.

With a mischievous grin, he reached out and placed his own, free hand over Jongdae's.

The effect was instantaneous as Jongdae flinched and ripped his hand free, effectively extinguishing the flame within a second.

He looked so  _ startled  _ that Chanyeol couldn't help snorting.

Jongdae only stared at him, wide-eyed and completely shell-shocked.

"What was that?" he asked, not even managing to sound properly dubious. Chanyeol extinguished his own flame and leaned back on his hands, still chuckling.

"I'd say you lost."

Jongdae blinked some more, eyes flitting down to the device and then back to Chanyeol as understanding bloomed on his face - followed by annoyance.

"That's- you caught me off guard," he said accusingly, and, when Chanyeol didn't immediately reply, "do it again."

"Hm?" Chanyeol asked, pretty sure he hadn't heard this right. Jongdae wasn't meeting his eye though, choosing to stare down at his hand as he re-lit the flame.

"I said  _ do it again.  _ Give me a proper chance."

"Because life is known to be fair, huh?" he asked, but complied nonetheless, placing his hand above Jongdae's. The flame began to flicker violently the moment their skin touched but Jongdae only closed his eyes, taking a deep breath through his nose.

His hand was tiny under Chanyeol's, and every bit as warm as his own, after being so close to heat for such a long time.

Chanyeol felt said heat rise to his face as the seconds ticked on - this was so awkward. He'd only meant to tease the other, exploiting the fact that he clearly hated skinship of any kind. The idea had come to him after spending a day near Huang Zitao, who didn't seem to understand the concept of personal space. He hadn't expected Jongdae to take it so seriously but right now, the other seemed more focused than ever, and Chanyeol watched the flame flicker like a restless heart, to the point that he thought it might go out once more - only for it to settle down.    
By the time Jongdae's eyes fluttered open, the flame was almost perfectly still, having taken on a much brighter shade than before, appearing almost white.

For a moment, none of them said a word as Chanyeol was torn between the pretty-looking flame and the feeling of the other’s small fingers under his, tickled by the sudden urge to interlace their hands-

"Guess I win," Jongdae said quietly, voice a low, very fragile mix of pride, mirth, and nerves.

Chanyeol snapped back into it, drawing away his hand.

"I mean,  _ technically,  _ the one whose flame dies loses," he grumbled, busying himself by quickly taking apart the devices. "I wasn't even playing anymore."

He heard Jongdae hum.

"I see. And  _ technically,  _ the rules were  _ words only,  _ so I'd say you lost by default."

"Life doesn't play by rules, anyway," Chanyeol replied, aimlessly tossing more wood into the fire that was this losing battle of a conversation.

"You're only proving my point here and considering your fire orb talent, I think it's safe to assume you're aware of your defeat."

Chanyeol groaned.

"You can't sell your opinions as facts! But still, I never said you  _ didn't  _ improve."

"A double negation," Jongdae said in mock respect. "At this rate, you'll be able to uphold an actual conversation with an educated adult before graduation."

"If you're my only frame of reference, I doubt I'll get there at all," Chanyeol snapped, reaching for the second orbment.    
Jongdae didn't have a smart reply to that aside from a huff, but that was alright. The sun was already setting and it had been a long day. To think that just this morning, he'd been arguing with Zitao over breakfast, only to toss all his honest opinions into his face hours later... though if he was being even more inclusive, he'd also have to take into account how he'd awoken that day from this very inappropriate dream- Chanyeol lightly shook his head. 

Terrible time to think about this.

When he looked up, Jongdae was looking towards the horizon, watching the last sun rays slather the nearby town buildings in gold. Due to the trees above them, there was an ever-moving pattern of light and shadow blanketing them both, occasionally highlighting the other's hair and eyes. To say that he looked peaceful might be a bit much, but he didn't look particularly concerned, embarrassed or angry.

The sight reminded Chanyeol that technically, he still owed him. Not for his few combat lessons, but for showing up the week prior and refusing to leave before Chanyeol had regained his spirit.

Chanyeol was a lot of things, but certainly not one to not pay his debts. So he closed his tool box with a soft click and swallowed down any uncertainty he might feel.

"You should practice occasionally," he said.

"Practice what?" Jongdae asked, sounding fairly neutral and non-confrontational.

"Taking photos," Chanyeol said, as if it was the most obvious answer. "Why not practice a bit until you actually join the club?"

The guarded expression was already returning, but it was a slow process this time around.

"Why are you so obsessed with this?" he asked blankly, properly folding his hands in his lap. "If you think that due to my background, I'm a reckless spender-"

"I never said to buy an actual camera," Chanyeol cut him off with a wave of his hand. In response to Jongdae's quizzical look, he lifted his hands. With the tips of his pointer fingers meeting his thumbs, he formed a little rectangle, framing mostly the sky, with the tips of a roof and trees.

He could feel Jongdae look at him, but kept his gaze on the golden sky.

"See? You do it just like this," he explained slowly, squinting as he tried to decide on the perfect angle.

When he turned, Jongdae was wearing an entirely unreadable look, and he saw his fingers twitch in his lap-

And then he got to his feet with a scoff.

"That might be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard," he muttered, checking his uniform for stains. Predictably, he stepped away first, refusing to meet his gaze; just like he usually did whenever he felt humiliated. It gave Chanyeol an odd sense of deja-vu, and for some reason, he found himself grinning even as he was left behind once more.

...or so he thought, because Jongdae stopped a few feet away, only to turn around.

"Are you not coming? You're on cooking duty, are you not?" he asked,  _ demanded, _ really, and something about it was so casual that this time, Chanyeol was the one too taken aback for a smart reply. That was alright though - the walk to the dorm took at least ten minutes and he'd have plenty of time to come up with one.

Most of the time he ended up spending on the fact that nothing but a streak of luck had saved him from losing face that day.    
Because part of him was pretty sure that if he’d still been operating the orbmental torch earlier, holding Jongdae’s hand like that would have probably extinguished  _ his  _ flame. And he wasn’t quite sure what to think of that yet.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo, Happy New Year!  
> Well, I guess this is a tad early, but I'll be out working all day tomorrow, so I felt like uploading this now.  
> And to celebrate this day, it's a long chapter!  
> (Definitely not because I refuse to split it)
> 
> I hope you guys have a wonderful start into the new year. 2020 was... one hell of a ride, and 2021 won't magically make a 180°, but after this year? We're definitely ready.   
> Either way, I wish you guys great food, warm blankets and nice company, be it in person or via chat.  
> Much love,  
> Sugary ♡
> 
> P.S.: if, for whatever reason, you're invested in this fic, I can point you to my twitter (@sugaryandsalted) where I not only share my progress on this fic quite regularly, but where I also occasionally post polls to make some decisions! For this chapter, I had people vote whether Chanyeol would use words or actions to finally tip Jongdae's balance for good, and people voted for actions - which was a lot of fun to write ♡


	15. stupid or...?

Chanyeol was wise enough not to make any more predictions regarding Huang Zitao at this point. Yet he was somehow _still_ caught off guard when he slipped out of his room the next day to find said brat standing in the entrance area like he simply belonged there.

Apparently, Jongin's morning routine was already done because he was now teaching him to wield a staff. Or something. Chanyeol really wasn't all too sure what he was looking at but it wasn't offensive enough to drown out the main question.

"Why are you here again?" he asked slowly, refusing to give into a headache before breakfast.

Zitao wasn't even looking his way, instead staring ahead as he imitated Jongin's posture.

"I'm trying to focus here. Can't you see this is not the time?"

Chanyeol should get mad at him but it was hard to do so when he felt half-asleep still.

Though if he was being honest, there was a bit more to it; since no matter how he looked at it, Zitao had had it coming for him, but the lingering aftertaste of guilt refused to budge even under applied logic. He shouldn’t feel bad for snapping at Zitao the way he had, but here he was.

Chanyeol was still unhappily glaring him down, unsure of how to proceed, when he heard a surprisingly close voice to his left.

"Hey."

He jumped and whipped around to glare some more, only to meet the slightly bewildered gaze of Jongdae, who looked every bit as startled as Chanyeol felt.

He sighed.

"What?"

Jongdae blinked.

"You got a moment?" he then asked. It lacked his usual provocative streak and confidence. Chanyeol narrowed his eyes at him.

"Sure?" he asked slowly, not even bothering to hide how dubious he felt about all this as he reluctantly followed him upstairs. When he looked over his shoulder one last time, Zitao stubbornly pretended not to have been caught staring.

Chanyeol lightly shook his head. Zitao had to wait.

Surprisingly enough, Jongdae went straight for his own room. Puzzled, Chanyeol followed him, mentally going over the past few days in search of any instance where he might have messed something up. Though if he was being honest with himself, Jongdae usually only sought privacy if he felt like _he_ had messed up. That made the entire situation all the more confusing though.

He followed Jongdae into his room nonetheless, watching him close the door.

Certainly, he wouldn't apologize for the way he'd touched his hand the day prior. That would be ridiculous even by his standards-

"Something's off about Jongin."

Chanyeol's thoughts came to a screeching halt.

"Huh?"

Jongdae crossed his arms. With autumn having just begun to paint the leaves, it was rather warm and cozy still, so it was unlikely that he was being cold.

"Haven't you noticed?" he asked awkwardly. Chanyeol could only shake his head.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he's been... quiet the past few days," Jongdae explained slowly, as if searching for the right words. "Withdrawn? It's not very like him. It's not my place to make assumptions, of course, but I'm guessing he's feeling homesick."

"Oh?" Chanyeol asked dumbly, pausing to think about it. Truth to be told, he hadn't noticed anything to be off at all, and now he felt horrible about it. Sure, the past days had been quite chaotic with Zitao being all up in his face and everything else going on but that wasn't exactly an excuse to be a bad friend. Then again, he'd never been as close to Jongin as he was to, say, Yifan. Or Luhan. Heck, even Jongdae.

"Homesick, is it?" he muttered, looking around the room without really seeing it. "Huh. Are you sure?"

"How could I be sure?" Jongdae asked, covering his own embarrassment with faux annoyance. "It's merely an educated guess."

"Well, if it's coming from you, it's probably true," Chanyeol shrugged, only to point at him when a realization bloomed. "Which means that you should also know best what would cheer him up, right?"

Jongdae's expression was a hilarious mix between confusion and disbelief.

"Are you listening to yourself? How would you come to such a conclusion? I wouldn't be asking you if I knew how to proceed."

"Getting frilly again, are we?" Chanyeol joked drily, suppressing a yawn. "It's true though - you two are pretty close, aren't you?"

Jongdae went from vaguely offended to just confused, and Chanyeol rolled his eyes.

"Come on now. You've always been sitting together and are basically glued to each other's sides. It's kinda obvious."

For a moment, Jongdae thought about it. Maybe he was mentally recalling the past months.

"I suppose that's true," he trailed off eventually, looking a little unsure himself now. "In that case, it's all the more embarrassing that I don't know how to make him feel better."

"Please. It has nothing to do with that. You're just incompetent when it comes to comforting people," Chanyeol waved him off. "Plus, homesickness has probably never been a concern to you."

The moment the words had left his mouth, he grimaced. That had come out terribly wrong and like the lowest blow imaginable. Jongdae only lightly shrugged.

"Can't deny that," he replied, not looking upset at all.

Still, Chanyeol had put his foot in his mouth enough for one morning, so he only patted Jongdae's shoulder once - ignoring the way he jumped - and said, "We'll find a way. I'll think about something. Just give me a chance to wake up."

 _And maybe kick out Zitao so I can actually hear myself think,_ he mentally added a few minutes later, staring at his slice of carrot bread while a constant stream of noise from his right demanded to be heard (by the entire room, preferably).

The noble brat didn't seem the least bit affected by their argument from the previous day, and while Chanyeol wanted to hand it to him for persistence, he could do without Zitao being so, well. _Noble._

"You should have joined the fencing club," he was currently babbling, shooting a cool look towards Yifan. "Your swordsmanship is clearly wasted in a sports club."

"I'm quite happy with my club choice," was all Yifan muttered, the strain evident in his voice. Zitao sighed dramatically.

"Of course you'd be. Well, there's nothing wrong with enjoying your free time per sé, but with _your_ prospects, it would be smart to think about a future now and invest in acquiring some useful skills."

Chanyeol could see Yifan's eyebrow twitch, and suddenly, the empty spot next to Jongdae looked stupidly appealing.

"I think my club manages to do that _just fine,"_ Yifan said slowly, eyes on his food.

Luckily, the door opened in that moment, cutting off whatever offensive response Zitao's spoiled brain could cook up.

Luhan slipped into his seat, looking flushed.

"Yo," he said curtly, dumping a bag on the floor and cracking his neck. "'Sup? Wow, I'm starving-"

"You're late," Zitao said, and had the gall to sound accusatory. "And you didn't even shower. The lack of manners you are taught never fails to astound me."

Chanyeol looked at the ceiling, silently praying that this would end without anyone sporting a bloody nose.

Luhan only now seemed to register his presence.

"You're here again. _Damn,_ don't you have your own dorm?"

"There's still room at the table," Yixing said benevolently, and Luhan arched a brow.

"I doubt the dorm for the uppity kids is short on space."

"Since when do you take your homework to training though?" Yifan asked, actively ignoring Zitao. Luhan looked over his shoulder as if he'd already forgotten about the bag.

"Oh, that? That's no homework," he dismissed him, already reaching for a glass of jam. "Just some paperwork from the student council."

"And why do you carry that around?" Chanyeol asked slowly, giving him a dubious stare that wasn't met.

"Just helping out Aisha so we can get back to our assignment sooner," Luhan said casually. "I mentioned she's in the student council, didn't I?"

"You did," Yixing agreed, lightly shaking his head. "You're too nice though. Just as always."

Luhan shrugged.

"Eh, it's not a big deal."

Chanyeol kept staring at him, looking for any sign of discomfort, but there was none. He could see Jongdae doing the same and it reminded him of their earlier conversation, so he shifted his focus to Jongin instead - who hadn't said a single word so far. To be fair, Jongin was not really a morning person in general, though spending his early exercises with other people had done wonders for him. It wasn't that he looked particularly unhappy, either. But now that he was paying attention, his small smile did lack a bit of the usual ease and warmth-

"Today, Yifan and I will take care of the recipe list," Yixing announced, ripping Chanyeol out of his thoughts. "That way, we can buy the groceries tomorrow and get to cooking the day after, when classes are over."

Right. Thanksgiving was coming up and the academy traditionally hosted a charity event on that day, giving out free food to people in need and gathering donations. Despite any competition being highly discouraged, there was no denying the underlying excitement among the students as classes tried to outdo each other.

The third dorm may be small but they had Yixing on their side, so Chanyeol was confident that whatever they'd offer would be popular enough.

"Oh? What are you going to make?" Zitao asked, clearly not expecting to be impressed.

Yixing's smile didn't even waver.

"That will be a secret. You should come by our table and find out."

Zitao huffed.

"Like I'd actually have to try and steal your secrets."

"You still haven't mentioned _why_ you're here, by the way," Luhan piped up, shooting him a blank stare. "So assuming you want something seems like a pretty reasonable conclusion if you ask me."

"Please. What would you possibly have to offer that I could need-"

"I don't know, manners?" Luhan offered. "Like, the ones that count?"

Chanyeol wondered whether this was the way people felt when he and Jongdae were arguing.  
If so, he might actually owe them an apology.

He was meeting Jongdae's gaze over the table. The other was more quiet than usual as well, though that was most likely due to Zitao's presence being suffocating - not to mention that he probably didn't feel like being comfortable around him, considering his status. Nonetheless, Jongdae didn't look particularly upset. Mildly annoyed, maybe, if the look they shared was any indication.

Chanyeol kept his gaze and made it a point to roll his eyes at Zitao.

Jongdae ducked his head, focusing on his food once more, but Chanyeol had seen his lips twitch, anyway.

"Your menu is going to pale in comparison, anyway," Zitao said, and if he had long hair, he'd probably flip it right about now. Before Luhan could become victim to his own ambition, Yixing decided to step in.

"Food doesn't have to be new or different to shine," he said with a smile. "Sometimes, dishes are sought out for their familiarity. And if we can live up to that and leave people satisfied, that would be an honour in and of itself."

It hit Chanyeol right then. He slammed his palms on the table, causing everyone to jump.

_"I got it!"_

"You're the next in line of people to kick from this dorm, you know that?" Luhan hissed, glaring at him with a hand over his heart.

Chanyeol wasn't even listening.

"Yixing, I need to talk to you."

Yixing glanced at the others, and then back at him.

"Oh? Sure?"

"Right now," Chanyeol added, leaping out of his seat and dragging a very confused Yixing with him.

He could hear Zitao yell something about manners, only for Yifan to curtly ask him to keep down the volume. They'd be _fine,_ Chanyeol concluded.  
Probably.

* * *

It was pretty hard to _forget_ that Do Kyungsoo was a Major of the Imperial Army. His mere presence made it abundantly clear, from his uniform-like clothing to his posture and clipped, curt way of speaking. He embodied people's ideas about the military, really.

Chanyeol had always somewhat admired Yixing's utter lack of fear and how _cozy_ he seemed with their Instructor. When Yixing proposed asking Kyungsoo for help regarding their charity dinner, there was no doubt that if anyone would get an agreement out of Kyungsoo, it would be him.

And he did succeed. Which was great.

Sadly, it also meant that Chanyeol was alone with him now. And unlike Yixing, he was pretty awkward around their instructor still.

"We'll take these."

He watched him point at a basket of tomatoes.

"Two kilogram, please."

The store owner hurried to comply, repeatedly bowing and smiling - Chanyeol couldn't fault him. Though to be completely fair, most adults back on the campus and the little town surrounding it seemed to hold Kyungsoo in high regard without being particularly afraid. In the capital, however, things were different.

"We'll also need dark rice. About five kilogram should do. We'll pay now and retrieve them on our way back, if that's no trouble."

"Not at all," the poor guy assured them, and Chanyeol allowed himself to sigh in relief. He was already carrying various bags and there was no doubt that the instructor would readily make him carry a bag of rice, too, so knowing that they'd at least save it for last was nice.

After paying for the expenses, Kyungsoo turned to leave the store without a comment, leaving Chanyeol no choice but to hurry after him. So far, their entire trip had consisted of nothing but polite silence, and while Chanyeol hardly expected a fun sight-seeing tour, having to constantly interpret the other was getting exhausting.

"Where are we going to next?" he asked, silently wondering how it could be so hard to keep up with someone who was over a head shorter than him.

"To buy fresh herbs and spices," was all he said, and Chanyeol nodded.

Tense atmosphere aside, he really was grateful the instructor had agreed to help them out on this - not to mention that he really didn't know his way around the capital. The last time he'd been there had been years ago and back then, he hadn't exactly seen much of the city itself. If he'd gone out to go shopping on his own? He would have very likely been long lost by now.

"Have you been to the Northern Highlands before?" he asked carefully, curiosity winning at last. To his surprise, Kyungsoo actually indulged him.

"Hardly," he said simply. "I've been stationed at Zender Gate for a while."

Chanyeol hummed. He didn't need geography lessons to know that Zender Gate was the military base at the Northern border. The highlands had never posed a threat to their country but the nation across them... was a different matter entirely. So being stationed there could mean everything from being moved to a quiet base to having to deal with actual emergencies. He wondered which one it was for Kyungsoo but there were other questions begging to be asked.

"And you got to try traditional, Northern food?"

This actually managed to lure a small smile from Kyungsoo.

"Once in a while," he said quietly, keeping his eyes on the road. Seeing as noon had just passed and most people were busy working, it wasn't as crowded as Chanyeol remembered this city to be - then again, they had just taken a turn off the main road. Kyungsoo seemed to know exactly where they were headed.

"The Highland tribes largely consist of peaceful, amicable people," he explained. "The relationship between Zender Gates and the tribes is a friendly one. They like to occasionally offer food and other goods, and the soldiers respond in kind."

"I see," Chanyeol trailed off. He couldn't help but share the fond smile as he touched his wrist, fingers grazing the bracelet Jongin had made them towards the start of the year. "I have no trouble picturing that, actually. Sounds a lot like Jongin."

"What they're lacking in technology, they make up for in physical and mental strength," Kyungsoo added. "Some of the finest warriors in the world have come from the Highlands. As of now, there's no doubt that he's the most competent fighter the dorm has to offer."

Chanyeol would have liked to pout but there was really no denying it. Luhan and him were nothing to write home about themselves; Yixing and Yifan were both skilled with a sword, and while Jongdae seemed to surpass them just slightly, none of them could hold a candle to Jongin's effortless elegance when he was allowed to wield a spear. So he only hummed in agreement.

"Excluding yourself, I assume."

He wasn't sure why he'd said it and while it _did_ come out like an ominous jab, Kyungsoo didn't seem fazed.

"My abilities with a sword are nothing above the standard for those of my rank," he replied evenly.

"Which doesn't mean you're _not_ capable of wiping the floor with us," Chanyeol replied without missing a beat. There it was again, that small, fleeting ghost of a smile.

"Sure. That would be a given, however."

It dawned on him then that at first glance, Kyungsoo and Jongdae would appear to be similar, but that was far from the truth. Do Kyungsoo's silence was simply more... natural. It didn't seem to be the result of any sort of training or the need to hold back. Maybe that was the reason why he seemed so steadfast and powerful.

They entered another store and the next minutes were spent in peaceful silence as Chanyeol watched Kyungsoo pick out spices and herbs. He took his time, even asking for the occasional sample, and it made him smile.  
When he'd proposed to Yixing that they should try to recreate traditional dishes from the Northern Highlands for the charity event, he hadn't expected Yixing to agree right away, suggesting their Instructor to help them out in order to keep it a surprise from Jongin. And despite the other's nonchalant demeanour, it was clear that Kyungsoo cared about this. Well, he obviously cared about cooking in general.

"Have you been cooking in the Army, as well?"

The question slipped out the moment they had left the store. Apparently, it wasn't completely impossible to catch their Instructor off guard, judging by the surprise flashing over his face. He quickly caught himself, however.

"Rarely."

Chanyeol nodded. For a good minute, it was quiet as they walked down the streets. By the time he did get a response, he'd already mentally moved on.

"In emergency situations, medical duty takes top priority."

Chanyeol blinked.

"Oh, so you are mainly a medic,” he then said conversationally, ordering his thoughts as they tumbled out of his mouth, “I didn't know Medics could take on such high ranks. Though I guess it wouldn't be weird to start out as a Medic and then switch paths."

"It would actually be very _weird,_ as you put it," Kyungsoo disagreed straight away. "Considering that medics are trained doctors while wars are _fought_ with soldiers. I'd expect a little more common sense by someone who's been to the academy for around nine months."

Chanyeol sighed.

"Ouch. Well, sorry for trying to make sense of your statement."

Kyungsoo's expression softened at that. He didn't say anything else on the matter though, instead taking a surprising turn to slip into a butcher shop. Still, Chanyeol couldn't deny being curious now.  
So their Instructor had a background in medicine but was a trained Major? He felt like he was missing some information here, and he also suspected that if he asked just the right question, he could get closer to the truth. Sure, there was always the very real chance that Kyungsoo would ignore him or brush him off but he wouldn't bite his head off or leave him behind... probably. After all, he'd been indulging him so far.

He simply had to choose his questions wisely.

And since Chanyeol was the type to get very committed once he wanted something, he took his time trying to figure out what to ask. It felt a bit like a game now and he was nothing if not determined. All the while, Kyungsoo let him silently stir in his own questions and it was unclear whether he was amused or wary of what he was cooking up.

They were already on their way back to the station - with Kyungsoo carrying the rice, surprisingly - when Chanyeol finally decided on an approach.

"So, when did you join the army?"

That earned him a glance. His instructor's expression betrayed nothing, and Chanyeol subtly chewed on his cheek as he waited.

Kyungsoo delivered his response quite carefully, and he took that as a good sign.

"I graduated from the training facilities at age 15," he eventually said. That was rather young but it was the wording that had Chanyeol narrow his eyes at him.

"That didn't quite answer the question, did it?" he asked, sounding dubious, but ultimately light. Not accusatory or pushy. If there was anything he'd picked up from Yixing, it would be that softer approaches had their place.

Kyungsoo huffed.

"Quite the opposite. It answered your question with precision."

Chanyeol thought about this, and now Kyungsoo was definitely amused over seeing the gears turning.

It was then that they reached the station, which was quite the relief. His arms had been getting heavy.

They gathered near the tracks, where Kyungsoo placed down the bag of rice as well. Unlike Chanyeol, he wasn't short of breath at all. Mildly embarrassing.

"Okay, then," Chanyeol tried again, swallowing hard so he didn't _sound_ breathless at least. "When did you first come in contact with the Army?"

"Took you long enough," Kyungsoo said blankly, but the way he tilted his head ever so slightly said otherwise. "Your interrogation skills might just be the worst in your class."

"I actually doubt that but thanks for the vote of confidence," Chanyeol grumbled.

He didn't say anything else though, making it clear that he was waiting for an answer.

Kyungsoo cracked a small smile at that.

"There you go. Maybe you're not hopeless, after all."

Chanyeol groaned.

"Is everything a test now? Do you have to make me guess and interpret every single-"

"Twelve," Kyungsoo said.

Chanyeol immediately shut up, even though it took him a second to mentally catch up.

"Hm?"

"I was twelve years old."

Chanyeol stared at him, all finesse forgotten.

"Twelve. You mean, like, you met some soldiers as a kid and that encounter inspired you to join the Army?" he asked, highly doubting his own words. Kyungsoo only shot him a look, but ultimately relented.

"It was the conflict in 1182, between the Republic and the Empire, at the Northern border," he rattled down. Chanyeol took mental notes, telling himself to look it up at the archives later that day. "Incidentally, I was at the scene when the attack started. They needed a medic, I was the child of a doctor and a nurse. It's simple as that."

"They didn't have a medic of their own?"

Kyungsoo shook his head.

"They got separated. They didn't have a choice."

 _You mean_ **_you_ ** _didn't have a choice,_ Chanyeol mentally added. He said it like it was no big deal but acting as a field medic at the age of twelve was terrifying, to say the least. The fact that he was standing before him was a miracle, not to mention that he seemed quite... calm and stable.

"I was named Sergeant for the time being, and then started anew when the conflict was resolved, to receive proper training."

Again, he said it matter-of-factly, and Chanyeol tried not to gape or push his luck. What had brought a group of trained soldiers to naming a twelve year old a Sergeant? It wasn't even the lowest rank available.

He pushed all those questions to the back of his mind in order to focus on the present.

"So you prefer your current position over being a medic?" he asked.

Kyungsoo shrugged.

"They're different. Knowledge never hurts, and if push comes to shove, I can fill in for both."

"I see..." Chanyeol hummed, watching the train arrive in the distance. "Still, that only doubles the responsibility, especially when choices have to be made. I don't think I could do it."

"I'd be more concerned if you thought otherwise," Kyungsoo said evenly, and the small smile was back.

Chanyeol felt mildly puzzled still as they boarded the train, wondering whether he had just been complimented or placated. He kinda wished Yixing was around to interpret his mystery of an Instructor.

They took a seat in the near deserted compartment behind the one reserved for special guests.  
The moment all their bags were resting at their feet, Kyungsoo took something out of his pocket.

"There's something I was told to give you."

"Uhhh, I swear I may have done it, but it wasn't with bad intentions."

Kyungsoo stared at him.

"What are you talking about?"

Chanyeol shrugged helplessly.

"I don't know. What _are_ we talking about?"

Kyungsoo sighed, lightly shaking his head.

"Anyway. Instructor Kim told me to give _this_ to you."

Chanyeol's eyes flit down to the device fitting snugly into the other's open hand. It looked familiar while at the same time... it didn't.

"Is this an Arcus?" he asked carefully, and Kyungsoo nodded.

"New model. Here."

 _That explained it, then,_ Chanyeol thought as he tried to get a feel for the device.

"I thought only second years get their own Arcus?"

"That's correct," Kyungsoo agreed, leaning back against the plush seat of the train as the landscape flew by. "Apparently, your orbal art Instructor sees potential in you and would like you to have one now. Of course it's up to you to decline."

Chanyeol felt himself blush like a fool at the compliment. To distract from that, he lowered his gaze to take in the device. Pretty much everyone knew what an Arcus unit looked like, and being into engineering, Chanyeol had even gotten the chance to see one being dismantled before, but this one looked different. Sleeker, simpler.

"Do you already know how they work?" Kyungsoo asked patiently, and Chanyeol grimaced.

"I mean, kinda? I know that soldiers cast complex elemental arts with them by inserting orbs. But. I never got to _try_ it myself, so..."

Kyungsoo nodded. Within a second, he had his own Arcus in hand. Chanyeol had never noticed him carrying one before, but it made sense - every soldier had one and not every battle came with an announcement. It was a given to have his Arcus nearby at all times.

"Obviously, this is where the orbs are installed," Kyungsoo began, tapping on the surface of his Arcus. It looked more familiar, very well-worn, and had an array of round, high-quality orbs let into the surface. Most of them were earth-based, Chanyeol noted.

"Most slots accept any orb, but some of them are fixed," Kyungsoo added, pointing out two of his own orbs. "The layout of every Arcus is completely unique to its owner, as I'm sure you know. Yours was made with the information the academy has about you, combined with the observations of Instructor Kim."

Chanyeol couldn't help feeling a surge of both embarrassment and gratitude. He hadn't realized that their grumpy-looking Instructor had paid such close attention to him. And Lo and behold, his own Arcus was very clearly fire-biased, with a fire slot in the center and two lines branching off to frame the device, each ending in yet another red-framed slot.

"You're free to install whatever orbs you can get your hands on. Now as for the installation itself," Kyungsoo trailed off, clearly waiting for Chanyeol to meet his eyes and give him his full attention. "...I know your background, but at least have a professional show you the ropes before tinkering on it yourself. Kim trusts you not to do anything foolish."

"Of course," Chanyeol assured him right away. This was an honour and he wasn't stupid enough to put himself or others in danger by messing with a piece of technology that could clearly be dangerous.

"If you happen to have concerns or questions, feel free to consult Instructor Kim," Kyungsoo closed, slipping his own device back into his pocket. "Or me, if it's urgent."

"Yessir," Chanyeol beamed, still staring at his new, shiny Arcus. With this, he could do so much more than simply activate raw elemental energy. An Arcus was like a harness, allowing him to set up very specific spells by combining the power of multiple orbs - that way he could not only move on an entirely different scale, but the spells could also easily be cast in a pinch.

It was no secret that their current lessons weren't demanding much from Chanyeol so he was unironically excited to challenge himself; to explore his limits and hone his craft.

He also couldn't wait to see the expression on the other's faces-

"I don't think I'll have to mention that this is something you best keep quiet about for now," Kyungsoo said as if he'd read his thoughts.

Chanyeol tried not to pout.

"Fine," he sighed dramatically. "No bragging. I get it."

Though it probably wouldn't do any harm if, say, Jongdae knew. It could probably benefit their lessons. Or something.

Chanyeol tried to ignore the fact that really, the only person he really wanted to tell about this was Jongdae.

Would he be impressed? For sure. But would he dismiss him and act like it was nothing or would he actually comment on it?

Chanyeol looked out of the window, feeling just how perfectly the device fit in his hand.

Either way, an Arcus unit was a tool for professionals.

It kinda brought up the question of what he even wanted to do with it. What he wanted to do after he graduated, really.

He'd always assumed that visiting the Academy would only solidify his need to become an engineer, but right now? He didn't really want to make a decision just yet. He wasn't done... _experiencing_ yet. It was probably a bit selfish, but he'd like to study some more for now.

For the rest of the train ride, Chanyeol sat there with his Arcus in hand, lost in thoughts. Kyungsoo let him be, providing quiet company that was oddly comforting.

* * *

"Got him," Chanyeol all but announced as he all but dragged a confused Jongin into the kitchen after distracting him with study-related questions for what felt like forever.

All the fresh ingredients were spread out on the table, with the entire dorm being assembled, waiting to reveal the surprise. Well, the entire dorm minus Luhan, who was late. There were still three people standing there, however, which meant...

"You're _still_ here?" Chanyeol asked a nonchalant-looking Zitao who was lounging in one of the kitchen chairs (however he managed to make their practical wooden chairs look like expensive armchairs, Chanyeol had no idea). "Did they kick you out of the dorm or something?"

"I was bored," Zitao only provided, sounding haughty enough for even Jongdae to shoot him an unhappy glance. "Our maids are busy dealing with the food, so I figured I have nothing better to do."

Yixing only benevolently dismissed the uninvited brat.

"The more, the merrier, right?" was all he said, looking towards Jongin. "We're counting on you to guide us well."

"What do you mean?" Jongin asked, still confused. "I don't think I should be leading this-"

"But you're the only one who can," Chanyeol cut him off, eager to finally unveil the surprise, "cause we'll be cooking up a traditional Northern Highlands dinner!"

Jongin's eyes widened in unguarded surprise.

"What? I thought we were going to cook comfort food..."

"There was a change of plans," Yixing said with a smile. "We figured this would be much more interesting. None of us are all that qualified, however, so we hope we can count on your guidance."

"We did the best to get suitable ingredients," Chanyeol added, "and we'll be the best assistants. Well, minus those two noble brats over there-"

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Jongdae murmured, obviously willing to uphold the peace for Jongin's sake. Who just stared at them like he expected all this to be a joke.

"Really? I mean- I'm not even a particularly good chef myself," he uttered eventually, blushing as he spoke, "so I wouldn't wanna ruin this-"

"Well, luckily, I'm quite confident in my abilities," Yixing assured him right away. "Just help me along a bit. Surely, it will be fine."

For a moment, Jongin just stood there, and Chanyeol feared that they might have made a bad decision, after all. But then Jongin swallowed, forcing himself to stand up straight.

"Alright. I'll do my best," he said with fresh determination.

"That's the spirit," Chanyeol laughed, patting his back. "I look forward to tasting those meat skewers you mentioned before."

Immediately, Jongin was jolted into action.

"Oh. You want meat skewers? We should start on them right away, then, since they need to marinade for as long as possible."

"Sounds like a plan,” Yixing smiled, pulling an empty bowl to himself and moving a cutting board towards Chanyeol. "Chanyeol here can cut the meat while you tell me what the marinade is supposed to taste like. Oh, Yifan, would you mind washing the vegetables?"

With nothing but a nod, Yifan grabbed another bowl and moved over to the sink while Chanyeol slipped into a chair and rolled up his sleeves.

"What about me?" Jongdae asked patiently.

Yixing didn't have to think for long.

"Here," he said, handing him a knife, "you can dice three onions for now."

A second knife and bowl were placed before Zitao.

"And you can get a start on peeling the potatoes."

"What?" Zitao asked, too perplexed to be angry. "You want _me_ to peel potatoes?"

"Well, since you're already here, you might as well, right?" Yixing asked, tone light and completely unperturbed.

When Zitao gaped at him, Chanyeol tried to keep his own, smug smile at bay and sound equally as nonchalant.

"Don't worry, it's not that difficult."

"I-" Zitao began, looking very ready to throw a fit, but aside from Chanyeol, no one was paying him any heed; Yixing and Jongin were already moving around herbs and spices and Yifan was busy washing bell peppers. His gaze briefly flickered to Jongdae, who was calmly peeling onions. Making a decision, he grabbed the knife and dove into the bag of potatoes with unnecessary force.

"Making a son of one of the five great houses peel potatoes," he grumbled, ears red.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes.

"Those who can eat should also cook," he only said. Next to him, Jongdae wisely didn't say a word. Though to be fair, while Jongdae might still be unable to put together dinner on his own, he did help out occasionally, and never had a complaint on his lips. It made Chanyeol wonder how much of that nonchalance had come to him due to spending so much time at an Army base as a child.

"Ow-"

He glanced up at Zitao, who was sucking on his fingertip.

"Already cut yourself?" he asked, but Zitao only bit his lip and kept going.

"I'm an apprentice of the sword. This doesn't even qualify as a cut," he said stubbornly, and Chanyeol grinned.

"Sure," he hummed, taking his own, much bigger knife to start cutting the meat into bite-sized bits. Zitao was painfully slow, and, judging by his red ears, also painfully embarrassed, but too stubborn to back out now.

Chanyeol decided not to tease him about it and just be grateful for the absence of condescending remarks and attempts to sabotage them.

Next to him, Jongdae wordlessly attempted to rub his eyes and Chanyeol stopped him with a hand on his wrist.

"You'll make it worse," he said quietly, letting go when Jongdae shot him a bewildered (and mildly teary-eyed) look. He carefully took his knife and leaned in to cut off the onion's ends. "You should submerge them in cold water like this, that'll make it easier to cut them."

Again, Jongdae didn't have a smart reply and simply followed his instructions. He was usually rather moody when Zitao was around but right now, he seemed surprisingly comfortable. Not that Chanyeol could fault him - there was something to be said about preparing dinner in quiet efficiency-

"This is taking forever," Zitao whined, flinching when another bowl was placed before him with a thud.

"These are next," Yifan said in a matter-of-fact-tone, sitting down next to him.

"Are you ordering me around now?" Zitao complained, but it was hard to take him seriously when he was still staring at the tiny cut on his finger with such a forlorn expression.

"Don't think I did," Yifan only muttered, grabbing a potato himself. He was actually not too shabby in the kitchen, which might be surprising to anyone who didn't know about his family... situation. Next to Zitao, he certainly looked like an award-winning chef. Which didn't go unnoticed by said brat.

"If you're so good at it, why don't you do it yourself, then?"

Yifan didn't even gratify him with an answer, which only ticked him off even further.

"Now you're ignoring me?"

Chanyeol could see the annoyance simmering in Yifan, but he kept quiet, taking a second potato.

"Why are you so fast at this, anyway?" Zitao kept going. "Is it _that_ universal of a skill for commoners?"

"Less talking, more peeling," Yifan said curtly. "Try not to cut off the entire potato while you're at it."

With yet another embarrassed pout, Zitao went back to work, childishly slowing down even further by trying to cut off the peel in extra thin stripes.

Watching their exchange made Chanyeol smile - not because seeing Zitao embarrassed was amusing (though it undeniably was,) but because seeing Yifan hold his own in front of a noble without balking or panicking was nice. The Yifan who had just enrolled at the academy would have probably fled the room after such a confrontational remark.

Not like Yifan was the only one who had changed.  
Looking around, it was hard to picture this situation happening just a few months ago. He really felt it when Luhan skidded into the room not too long after, all but tossing his bags aside to throw himself into helping them - too ruffled and focused to even notice Zitao's presence until half an hour later, when he took a bowl of rather crooked-looking potatoes from him. He threw a belated fuss that only seemed welcome to Zitao, who had clearly been itching for attention.

At some point, even Kyungsoo joined in on them, overseeing the process and engaging in the actual cooking and seasoning with Yixing. It was around that time when Jongin was left with no task at hand for a moment, free to stand in the kitchen and watching them at work, that he started crying.

He just started to sob, just like that.

It was nothing short of comical how shocked Jongdae looked upon noticing, his eyes immediately searching Chanyeol's. There was something... strangely endearing about it, too, and it made Chanyeol pat the other's back in reassurance before turning to Jongin.

"Hey now. We're not particularly good at this but that's really no reason to cry," he joked, wiping his hand on a towel.

He had an armful of Jongin before he could even put it down.

"You're just so nice," he murmured, squeezing him with surprising force. "Thank you. Thank you _so_ _much._ This means so much to me."

He then ripped himself free to move on and draw the next best person into a hug as well. One by one, he hugged everyone, not even skipping Zitao (who was very taken aback) or Kyungsoo (who only sighed). Jongdae ended up being last, and the hug lasted visibly longer than the others. Maybe because he was done thanking everybody. Chanyeol doubted it though.

While everyone else was slowly returning to their task at hand (with the exception of Zitao, who seemed even more flabbergasted over the display of raw emotions than Jongdae,) Chanyeol watched Jongdae awkwardly pat the other's hair as Jongin sobbed into the crook of his neck. He shot Chanyeol a helpless look, to which he only replied with a one-sided shrug and a grin, quite enjoying to see him squirm.

"I really love it here and I don't regret coming here but sometimes I just- I miss home so much," Jongin brought out between sniffling. "I miss my sisters, and I miss riding horses, and going hunting with my dad, and helping my mom cook dinner-"

Jongdae was blinking rather rapidly himself now, clearly at a loss for words as he just let Jongin talk.

"And I love how you all join me in my morning rituals because it makes me feel a little more at home, you know? But I still miss the others sometimes. I miss the valleys and mountains and lakes and just the wind," he choked out, and Jongdae saw himself forced to say something.

"That's- okay," he said eventually. "It's normal to miss these things."

He didn't say 'It's going to be alright,' or asked him to cheer up.

 _It's not strange to feel these things._ Chanyeol remembered the day he'd said those exact words to him as well. It was awkward for sure, and a clear admittance to helplessness, but in a way, the response was more genuine than many of the standard phrases coming to mind.

And because Chanyeol wasn't sure whose hair he wanted to ruffle anymore, he settled for both.

"Alright, enough crying for now. While I'm sure our Instructor won't let the bread burn to a crisp, I can _assure_ you I'll butcher this dessert without your help."

"Of course," Jongin sniffled, wiping his tears. He was smiling as he did it, looking quite silly and all but begging Chanyeol to fluff up his hair a little more. He resisted the urge, however, leading a red-faced Jongin to the kitchen aisle instead.

"Now tell me again what this dessert is supposed to look like. Because I don't get it."

"And tell _me_ again what comes first - the bread or the meat?" Luhan asked, two bowls in hand and an expectant look on his face.

"The tomatoes are all cut as well," Yifan added with a small smile. "As for the bell peppers..."

"I'm not getting any faster from you just watching me," Zitao hissed from the table.

"Well, we better look away, then," Luhan said flatly.

"I _hate_ it here!"

"Then why _are_ you here?" Luhan asked right back, exasperated. Jongin only chuckled.

"It's okay, the bell peppers don't go in this, anyway. And the bread comes first. Don't forget to put some oil over it so it turns crispy and not just dry."

"Jongin, would you mind tasting this?" Yixing asked from where he was standing with Kyungsoo by the stove.

"Sure-"

"Wow, and I get abandoned just like that," Chanyeol muttered, feigning hurt and returning to whisking the vanilla cream in his bowl. Seemingly unsatisfied with nothing to busy himself with, Jongdae picked up a knife and cut the strawberries.

"Keep this up and you'll actually be able to feed yourself," Chanyeol commented. Jongdae didn't even look up from his cutting board.

"Keep _this_ up and you'll be able to hold a sword for longer than five minutes."

"Please. I could pick _you_ up for longer than five minutes."

"Ah. Is that so?" Jongdae echoed quietly, but it lacked aim and purpose. Chanyeol blamed him for feeling awkward all of a sudden.

"Stop being weird about this," he demanded, progressively making things worse as he imagined all the ways in which this _could_ be interpreted weirdly.

"I didn't even say anything," Jongdae defended himself, sounding whiny rather than confrontational, but his next words got stuck in his throat when he turned to be faced with a tea spoon dipped in vanilla cream.

Chanyeol made it a point to wear a neutral expression and after a second of hesitation and a glance towards his own, sticky fingers, Jongdae parted his lips just enough to wrap them around the spoon.

"What do you say? Should we add a pinch of salt or nah?" Chanyeol asked casually, pretending like he didn't feel irrationally nervous all of a sudden. To further prove this to both him and Jongdae, he _also_ acted like there was no big deal about using the same spoon to get a taste of the cream himself.

He wasn't sure how or why he was so good at being counter-productive today.

Jongdae followed the movement but didn't say anything. It only made Chanyeol feel more stupid.

"Wow," he joked. "Why did I even think that asking you would be a good idea-"

"It's good," Jongdae cut him off, turning back to the cutting board. Chanyeol would have liked to see his face to further gauge this neutral reply, but the other's bangs did a good job at shielding him.

"It's good like this."

For a moment, Chanyeol stared at him. When Jongdae didn't follow it up with anything at all, he shrugged to himself. If it was good enough for Jongdae's spoiled taste buds, no one would complain about it and he could move on to the whipped cream-

"Here."

"Hm?" Chanyeol asked, turning with a hum, only to find Jongdae offering him a strawberry.

"It needs to suit the taste of the fruits, doesn't it?" Jongdae asked,with his gaze lingering somewhere around Chanyeol's collarbones. "So it only makes sense to try them."

Chanyeol wasn't quite sure whether it _did_ make sense, but if there was one flaw he'd admit to any day, it was acting before thinking. Unlike Jongdae, his hands weren't sticky at all, but he leaned down to wrap his lips around it, anyway, inadvertently getting a taste of Jongdae's fingertips as he went.

The embarrassment hit him at the same time the sweetness did. With anyone else, this would have been nothing to bat an eye at, but this wasn't anyone else.

Jongdae had already been frozen in place but he did seem to stiffen even more, mechanically withdrawing his hands and absently rubbing his fingertips together as if he wasn't quite sure whether they needed cleaning now. In the end, he only went back to cutting fruits, leaving Chanyeol to battle that weird swirling sensation in his stomach all on his own.

In the background, Zitao was demanding attention and praise for a pile of very meticulously cut bell peppers while Yixing and Yifan were enjoying a quiet conversation and Kyungsoo scolded Luhan for... _something,_ all while Jongin flitted from one group to the next, tears long dried.

Chanyeol may not be from a foreign country, but he got it nonetheless.

This really did feel like home.

  
  


...and as much as he reveled in that, the heavy pull he felt in the pit of his stomach couldn't be denied or ignored.

Next to him, Jongdae had returned to cutting strawberries, looking entirely unaffected, and Chanyeol wondered just _how_ inappropriate and stupid it would be to feel nervous about something like this; to feel nervous when it came to Jongdae - a reticent guy who was finally feeling confident enough to tip-toe out of his comfort zone, only for Chanyeol to get all weird about it.

 _Yes,_ Chanyeol thought, staring into his bowl without seeing it. _Probably very stupid._

He went back to half-heartedly whisking as he subtly licked his lips.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff, so much fluff!  
> People voted for more Kyungsoo screen time, so here he is, in all his grumpy, quiet glory.
> 
> Welcome back, Kyungsoo. Did you guys see his Vlive? I missed it, but seeing the video snippets on twitter made my day *sigh*
> 
> Also, [here's](https://twitter.com/SugaryandSalted/status/1353798628410859523) a wonderful, wonderful piece of fanart by an anonymous artist. They deserve ALL the love. If you ever had trouble picturing them and their uniforms, you can check this out! And look how beautiful it is ;;
> 
> Regulations are getting rougher here again - hope you guys stay healthy and take good care of yourselves! <3


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